CHARLOTTE, N.C. — His team had just dispatched the Houston Texans in Friday’s preseason finale when Dave Canales’ thoughts quickly turned to the roster math facing the Carolina Panthers’ decision-makers this weekend.Asked about rookie quarterback Haynes King, who had a terrific debut in the Hall of Fame Game but then missed the next three with a hamstring injury, Canales started working through the numbers at quarterback — and several other offensive positions.“(Quarterback is) another decision. You talk about (running back) AJ Dillon, who had a great camp. Who do you keep three quarterbacks? Four running backs?” Canales said. “How do you keep all these numbers — seven receivers, eight receivers that we’re talking about? The loaded tight end room of guys that we trust.“So yeah, we got our work cut out for us in the next couple days.”Top Plays from Texans @ PanthersThat work will start in earnest Saturday, when the Panthers’ first wave of early cuts is expected before Sunday’s 6 p.m. deadline to take their rosters from 90 to 53 players.Canales is right: This year’s roster projection was tricky business. But we’re rolling out one more version before the cuts start coming.Changes from last week’s projection are noted in bold.Quarterbacks (3)On: Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett, Haynes KingNotable cut: Kyle TraskThe last time we saw King, the undrafted free agent from Georgia Tech was making plays with his arm and legs in a win over the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game. Then he strained his hamstring diving into the end zone and aggravated it in the celebration that ensued. That left only August game tape for other teams to dig into — plus another 46 over King’s six college seasons. King said he believes he could have played Friday, but the team held him so the injury doesn’t nag him all season. He said the Panthers have given him no indication whether he’ll stick around. Asked if he thinks he could be claimed by another team, King said: “I’m not really looking into that. I love it here. … It feels like home.” One option: Teams can put up to two players on injured reserve before cuts and designate them to return, but they must sit out at least four games.Running backs (4)On: Chuba Hubbard, Jonathon Brooks, Trevor Etienne, AJ DillonNotable cut: N/AAfter Hubbard returned too quickly from a calf injury last season, the team has taken a cautious approach with his hamstring strain so he can be 100 percent for Week 1. Brooks has looked strong in his return from a second ACL surgery, and his catch in a scramble situation was one of the few highlights for the first-team offense in the joint practice Wednesday with Houston. Etienne left Friday’s game after the first series with an ankle injury that will require imaging. Dillon had nine touches against the Texans, but averaged only 2 yards a carry.Tight ends (4)On: Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, Feleipe FranksNotable cut: Darren WallerThe Panthers signed Waller to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million because they wanted to add competition to the tight end room. They also gave themselves options. If Waller is on the active roster for the first regular-season game, his deal becomes fully guaranteed. So they could choose to keep him on the practice squad initially, though they’d risk losing him to any interested team. General manager Dan Morgan could try to move Sanders, who’s been the subject of trade rumors.Asked about Waller’s roster prospects, Canales said: “It’s certainly Dan and I looking at how we’re gonna use him and how he fits into the whole picture. And then of course it’s Darren, it’s his representation, making sure this is the right situation. And right now they feel like it is. But again those conversations have to happen and we’ll be making that decision in the next couple days.”Receivers (6)On: Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, Brycen Tremayne, Jimmy Horn, Ja’seem ReedInjured reserve: Chris Brazzell, Dan ChisenaNotable cuts: David Moore, John Metchie, Casey WashingtonCanales pointed to the receiver room as one of the strongest competitions. Horn played his way onto the roster with a strong finish in camp, including an eye-opening performance at Jacksonville when he made impact plays in the pass, run and return games. Moore has long been a favorite of Canales, but it feels like the final spot will come down to Metchie and Reed, who caught two passes for 37 yards Friday after missing the Jags game with a calf injury. Reed is younger and taller than Metchie, and can play more WR spots. Metchie has return ability. Tough call.Jimmy Horn has earned a roster spot with his play on offense and in the return game. (Bob Donnan / Imagn Images)Offensive line (9)On: Rasheed Walker, Monroe Freeling, Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis, Luke Fortner, Sam Hecht, Brady Christensen, Stone Forsythe, Albert ReeseNFI/PUP lists: Taylor Moton, Ikem EkwonuNotable cut: Chandler Zavala, Jake CurhanFreeling had a day to forget in the joint practice against the Texans, allowing at least four of the seven sacks Houston had on Young. The first-round pick from Georgia was overmatched against Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson. But with Moton and Ekwonu out indefinitely, the Panthers will take their lumps with Freeling as he tries to expedite his learning curve. I don’t have a great sense of what Morgan will do with the last OL spot or two. Reese was one of Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated rookies entering play Friday, but allowed a sack and four pressures against the Texans. But 6-foot-7, 325-pound dudes don’t grow on trees.Defensive line (5)On: Derrick Brown, Bobby Brown, Lee Hunter, Cam Jackson, Jared Harrison-HuntePUP list: Tershawn WhartonNotable cut: Aaron HallCanales wants to get both Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown a little more work during what amounts to a bye week after both missed time in camp with injuries. That gave young players like Hunter, the second-round pick from Texas Tech, Harrison-Hunte and Hall opportunities to show what they could do. This group still feels a little thin depth-wise, so don’t be surprised if Morgan tries to add to it. But it helps to have a Pro Bowler anchoring things. “It starts with the trenches,” Derrick Brown said this week. “Whoever wins the line of scrimmage wins the game. We know that.”Outside linebackers (5)On: Jaelan Phillips, Patrick Jones, Princely Umanmielen, Trevis Gipson, Thomas IncoomNotable cuts: Cam Gill, Jeremiah MoonIR: Nic ScourtonI had Gipson as one of the last cuts last week. But the 6-4, 264-pound Gipson made more plays than Gill as camp came to a close. The 29-year-old was active early against the Texans, sacking Davis Mills on Houston’s first offensive possession and then pressuring him on Lathan Ransom’s interception the next series. Incoom had a tackle for loss Friday, but his real value is as a four-phase special teams player.Linebackers (5)On: Devin Lloyd, Trevin Wallace, Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott, Jackson KuwatchNotable cut: Maema NjongmetaInternational Player Program exemption: Maz MwansaThe competition between Wallace and Cherelus for the second starting spot has received a lot of attention this summer, arguably more than it deserves. Why? Because the Panthers are in nickel a lot under Ejiro Evero, who likes using three-safety looks with Lloyd the lone inside linebacker. Wallace’s first-quarter sack of Mills was an example of the blitzing ability that could separate him from Cherelus.Cornerbacks (5)On: Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade, Will Lee, Akayleb EvansNotable cuts: Corey Thornton, Devonta Smith, Robert RochellSpecial teams will be the determining factor for the last couple of spots on the 53. And the Panthers view Evans as their best gunner. So we’re giving him the edge over Thornton, who has struggled in coverage throughout the preseason. Smith, the undrafted free agent from Notre Dame, had two pass breakups and a run stop in one defensive series in the first half. He probably won’t make the 53, but the Panthers would love to sneak him through waivers and sign him back to the practice squad.Safeties (4)On: Tre’von Moehrig, Nick Scott, Lathan Ransom, Zakee WheatleyNotable cuts: Isaiah Simmons, Demani RichardsonThe Panthers have improved their safety depth with a pair of Day-3 draft picks in Ransom and Wheatley, both of whom have had strong preseasons. Wheatley, the rookie from Penn State, proved to be a willing tackler, while Ransom has never shied away from a bone-jarring tackle — practice included. Ransom had a first-half interception Friday.Specialists (3)On: Sam Martin (punter), Ryan Fitzgerald (kicker), J.J. Jansen (long snapper)Notable cuts: N/A