We’re counting down the days until the Panthers kick off the 2024 season.
There is just barely over a month left until the first game of the season for the Carolina Panthers. 32 days, to be exact. With that, we’ll look at the guy who wears number 32 for the team, defensive back Dicaprio Bootle.
The man named after the Titanic movie has done a huge favor to the world by becoming good enough at football that we’re all familiar with his name. Bootle went to Nebraska after a standout high school career in Miami and was a three year starter there. He latched on with the Kansas City Chiefs after going undrafted in 2021.
He wasn’t able to make the final roster in either 2021 or 2022, but he spent both seasons on the Chiefs practice squad with occasional elevations to the active roster. After missing his third cut in 2023, he instead signed onto the practice squad of the Panthers. He was elevated to the active roster a few weeks later. He played in eight games, starting two, before being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Bootle had started playing pretty well for the Panthers prior to his injury, especially when you consider his status as an early season pickup that had previously just been a practice squad player. Ejiro Evero and his defensive staff are still in place, so Bootle seems like a good bet to land on the final roster once again. If he doesn’t, he’ll surely be one of if not the first guy the team turns to if they need more depth at corner.