CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers waived tight end D.C. Jefferson from injured reserve on Tuesday, less than a week after the NFL suspended him four games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
Jefferson was placed on injured reserve Aug. 26 to get Carolina's roster to 75 players. The team had no plans to keep him long term.
A seventh-round draft pick by Arizona out of Rutgers in 2013, Jefferson was signed to Carolina's practice squad for the postseason on Jan. 1, 2014.
He never had a serious chance to make the roster as he was sixth among Carolina's tight ends during training camp behind Greg Olsen, Ed Dickson, Brandon Williams, Richie Brockel and Mike McNeil.
Carolina kept four tight ends -- Olsen, Dickson, Williams and Brockel -- on its 53-man roster.
