The Carolina Panthers fired general manager Scott Fitterer on Monday. But that hasn’t prevented the NFL team from moving forward on building its 2024 roster under interim general manager Dan Morgan.

That includes signing defensive lineman LaBryan Ray to a one-year extension.

The former James Clemens High School and Alabama standout originally signed with the Panthers two practices into training camp on July 29, emerging from a workout of defensive linemen held by Carolina.

Ray made his NFL debut in the Panthers’ season-opener on Sept. 10 and went on to play in every game during the 2023 campaign, including one starting assignment. While playing 355 defensive snaps (34 percent of Carolina’s total), Ray made 19 tackles.

Asked before Sunday’s finale what he would remember about the 2023 season, Ray said: “I would say just taking something from everybody. Ever since I’ve been here, I feel like I’ve taken advice, I know, from everybody in the D-line room, but also from people outside of that. From the other coaches as well. I would say taking their advice, learning from that and then taking it to the field.”

Ray had a long year of football in 2023. Ray joined the Philadelphia Stars on May 3, three games into the USFL season. He recorded three sacks in Philadelphia’s remaining seven games.

Ray came to Alabama from James Clemens in Madison after winning the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Class 7A Lineman of the Year Award in 2015 and 2016.

An undrafted rookie in 2022, Ray stuck with the New England Patriots as a practice-squad member after playing 102 defensive snaps in three preseason games in August. On Oct. 26, 2022, the Patriots placed Ray on injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment, and he finished the season there.

Ray re-signed with New England on Jan. 10, but the Patriots waived him on Feb. 17.

Terms of Ray’s one-year extension with the Panthers were not announced.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.