CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Kasey Redfern was considered nothing more than an afterthought when the Carolina Panthers signed him late in training camp after releasing punter Swayze Waters.
At best he was thought to be a warm body to take some of the snaps from Mike Scifres as he came back from offseason knee surgery.
But less than two weeks before Carolina opens the NFL season with a Super Bowl 50 rematch against the Denver Broncos, Redfern could be the starting punter.
Scifres injured his kicking knee (right) in Friday’s exhibition loss to New England and is awaiting the diagnosis from the doctor to see where things stand. There’s not another punter on the roster.
That could change. The Panthers almost assuredly would sign another punter if it is determined Scifres is done.
But for now Redfern is the starter, not quite what the Panthers envisioned when they let veteran Brad Nortman sign with Jacksonville in free agency.
If you’re not familiar with Redfern, which many outside of his family aren’t, here are a few things you should know about him.
First, he went to Wofford College, the home of Carolina’s training camp and the alma mater of team owner Jerry Richardson.
Before wide receiver Brenton Bersin made Carolina’s roster in 2014, Richardson was the only Wofford player to play in an NFL game. Richardson’s last season was in 1960 with the Baltimore Colts.
If Redfern makes it there would be two in three seasons.
Redfern wears No. 2 for the Panthers, but he wore No. 38 in college, where he was a teammate of Bersin’s for a couple of years. He has a background in soccer – as a goalkeeper.
He’s from Jamestown, North Carolina, less than an hour and a half from his new home at Bank of America Stadium.
And oh, he didn’t come here to be a warm body.
“My expectations were to win the job,’’ Redfern said.
The odds seemingly got better when New England’s Brandon King ran into Scifres on the veteran’s first punt of the preseason. Scifres tried to punt again following the penalty and shanked one 21 yards.
In stepped Redfern, who punted seven times for an average of 49.9. His net average was only 35.4 thanks to a 61-yard return after outkicking the coverage.
The Panthers want to become a more directional punting team, and Redfern nailed that one down the middle of the field.
Redfern hasn’t kicked in an NFL regular-season game, so there are concerns that might lead Carolina to sign a punter with experience over the next week if Scifres doesn’t get a good medical report.
“He’s a young guy and you’re never really comfortable with young guys, but the truth of the matter is if that’s what we have that’s what we’re going to do,’’ coach Ron Rivera said.
It’s not a glowing endorsement, but Redfern will take whatever opportunity he can get.
“I’m going to keep fighting for that starting job wherever it might be,’’ he said. “But I would love for it to be here in Carolina.’’