Carolina Panthers cut Cameron Artis-Payne - AL.com

After four seasons with the Carolina Panthers, running back Cameron Artis-Payne has been released, the NFL team announced on Friday.

NFL teams have until 3 p.m. CDT Saturday to reduce their 90-player preseason rosters to the regular-season limit of 53. Some teams began notifying players of their terminations on Friday.

“It’s very difficult,” Carolina coach Ron Rivera said. “I’ve been on both sides of it. But it’s all part of the game. You try to give the young men some advice as they go forward. It’s tough.”

Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers' No. 1 running back, is one of the busiest in the league. Last season, he led NFL running backs by playing 965 offensive snaps -- 75 more than any other running back.

Carolina moved to bolster its running-back corps in the offseason by signing Artis-Payne to a one-year contract in March after he’d become a free agent, using a fifth-round draft choice on Florida’s Jordan Scarlett in April and adding Georgia’s Elijah Holyfield as an undrafted rookie. Carolina also brought back running back Reggie Bonnafon from last season’s practice squad.

Artis-Payne was released after serving as Carolina's starting running back in three of its four preseason games this month.

Artis-Payne entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft selection in 2015 after leading the SEC with 1,608 rushing yards for Auburn in 2014.

In his first three NFL seasons, Artis-Payne largely served as a stand-in for Jonathan Stewart. When the veteran was banged up, Artis-Payne played, getting in 15 games, including two postseason contests. Artis-Payne also led the NFC in rushing yards during the 2017 preseason.

In his four NFL seasons, Artis-Payne has run for 491 yards and five touchdowns on 118 carries and caught 10 passes for 86 yards.

In the past two seasons, Artis-Payne played 84 offensive snaps after playing 197 in his first two seasons. But at the same time, he became a much larger presence on special teams. In his first two NFL seasons, Artis-Payne was on the field for 14 special-teams plays. In the past two seasons, that number is 341.

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