Carolina Panthers Injuries

Christensen will be required to miss the first four games of the regular season on IR before becoming eligible to return to the Panthers' active roster. Mike Kaye of ESPN.com reports that general manager Dan Morgan said he expects Christensen to return at some point during the regular season, but it remains unclear when that will be.

Martin-Scott picked up a hamstring injury during training camp practice, preventing him from playing in the Panthers' preseason finale against the Texans on Friday. The injury is severe enough for the South Carolina product to start the regular season on IR, meaning he won't be eligible to play until at least Week 6 against the Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 18. Martin-Scott mostly served on special teams for the Panthers in 2025, finishing with 21 tackles (seven solo) and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games.

Etienne suffered an ankle injury in Friday's preseason finale versus Houston, and he will now be forced to miss at least four contests while on IR. The running back was expected to operate as a depth option behind Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) and Jonathan Brooks to open the season, so in his absence, AJ Dillon will likely slot in as the No. 3 option. Additionally, Etienne has operated as the team's primary return specialist on both kicks and punts, so Carolina will have to find replacements there for the time being.

Brazzell will officially miss his entire rookie season due to the LCL tear he suffered during Wednesday's training camp practice. The rookie third-round pick will undergo surgery and set his full attention on making a recovery for the 2027 campaign. In the wake of this transaction, Xavier Legette and John Metchie are the top candidates to secure the No. 3 wide receiver role in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.

Brown didn't practice throughout the week. While he has been ruled out for Week 2, it's unknown how much longer he will be out of commission. As a result, Aaron Hall and TeRah Edwards are both expected to receive more snaps versus the Falcons.

Wharton underwent a procedure on his neck in early May, and he spent the entirety of the preseason on the active/PUP list. The defensive lineman will now be forced to miss at least the first four contests to open the regular season while he continues to recover.

Ekwonu continues to recover from a ruptured patellar tendon that he suffered in the Panthers' wild-card loss to the Rams in January. He is required to miss at least the first four games of the regular season, with Week 6 against the Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 18 the earliest he can return. Rasheed Walker figures to serve as the Panthers' starter at left tackle for as long as Ekwonu is sidelined.

Moton will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lung before the beginning of training camp and is being treated using blood thinners. The earliest Moton can return is Week 6 against the Eagles, though the Panthers will likely take the cautious route with the 2017 second-rounder given the nature and severity of the injury. Monroe Freeling is in line to start at right tackle in Moton's absence.

Evans aggravated a neck injury during Wednesday's practice and was subsequently held out of Friday's game. The backup cornerback signed a one-year deal in March to stay with the Panthers and will likely reprise his role with the team in 2026.

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Lewis was able to return to practice for the first time in a couple weeks as he appears to have fully recovered from the calf injury he suffered in late July. The 29-year-old is expected to operate as Carolina's starting left guard this season, and he will now be good to go for the team's preseason opener Saturday in Buffalo.

The linebacker needed some medical attention due to soreness in his injured knee, per Carboni. Panthers coach Dave Canales told reporters that Lloyd should be ready for Carolina's regular-season opener. The former Jaguar signed a three-year, $42-million contract with the Panthers in the offseason after recording more than 100 tackles in three of his first four NFL seasons.

Phillips' arm issue was likely sustained during Wednesday's joint practice with the Jaguars. The outside linebacker participated in the first few drives of last Saturday's game against the Bills, logging 1.0 sacks in the brief appearance. It is unclear how severe Phillips' injury is or if he will need to miss additional time. Princely Umanmielen will take over the role of primary edge rusher opposite Patrick Jones in Friday's contest.

Jones didn't suit up for the Week 1 loss to the Bears. Although he practiced in a limited capacity throughout the week, he's in danger of missing another contest Sunday. If Jones can't get on the field against Atlanta, Princely Umanmielen and Trevis Gipson would be in line for more snaps.

Incoom was cleared to play in Thursday's exhibition game after fully recovering from offseason shoulder surgery that he underwent in June, and he played a total of 42 snaps (36 on defense, six on special teams). Incoom has contributed mostly on special teams since entering the league in 2023 and will likely reprise that role for the upcoming season. He finished the 2025 regular season with 17 tackles (nine solo) across 17 games.

King suffered a hamstring injury in the Panthers' win over the Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6. He played well in that contest, but given his lack of practice reps and the fact that he'll miss the last three preseason games, King's place on the 53-man roster by the end of training camp is far from guaranteed. Kenny Pickett is expected to be Bryce Young's backup this season, so if the Panthers choose to roster a third quarterback, then Kyle Trask would be King's competition for the QB3 role.

Hubbard's level of participation in practice will be monitored, but he's on the field with his helmet as the session gets underway. The veteran has been hampered by a hamstring injury sustained in mid-August, but has been progressing well. His participation on Tuesday is a good sign that he's trending in the right direction toward being ready for the start of the season.

Kaye notes that Brooks was spotted doing some running, so he wasn't completely limited to rehab work. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, Panthers head coach Dave Canales expressed optimism last week that Brooks would be ready to play in Sunday's season opener versus the Bears, and the running back's lack of involvement in Monday's practice isn't believed to have changed the Panthers' stance. Brooks missed the entire 2025 campaign after tearing the ACL in his right knee for the second time in his career in December 2024, but he was fully cleared in the spring and saw action in two preseason games.

Waller came out of a one-year retirement last summer to join the Dolphins and appeared in nine regular-season games with Miami, registering 24 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns as a red-zone weapon. Injuries have been Waller's downfall in recent years, and he missed considerable time last season with hip, pectoral and groin issues. His looming addition is bad news for all three of Tommy Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans, who were all expected to see considerable playing time in a three-man committee at the position for the Panthers. Waller's main contributions figure to come on third downs and in the scoring area, assuming he makes the 53-man roster out of camp.

Per Reed, Coker went through warmups on the side during Wednesday's practice and does not appear to be dealing with a serious injury, but it is limiting him to start the week. He was not in a walking boot like he was on Monday, which is a good sign, and coach Dave Canales told Joe Person of The Athletic on Wednesday that he expects Coker to suit up Sunday in Atlanta. Coker is coming off a career day in Sunday's loss to the Bears with eight grabs for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Legette sustained an ankle injury during Wednesday's joint practice with the Jaguars, and given that he'll be in a walking boot until Thursday, he'll presumably sit out Friday's preseason finale against the Texans. When available, the 2024 first-rounder has an opportunity to claim a portion of the Panthers' WR targets that don't go to Tetairoa McMillan or Jalen Coker, a context that may not yield steady volume as long as both McMillan and Coker are available.

Brown didn't practice throughout the week. While he has been ruled out for Week 2, it's unknown how much longer he will be out of commission. As a result, Aaron Hall and TeRah Edwards are both expected to receive more snaps versus the Falcons.

Jones didn't suit up for the Week 1 loss to the Bears. Although he practiced in a limited capacity throughout the week, he's in danger of missing another contest Sunday. If Jones can't get on the field against Atlanta, Princely Umanmielen and Trevis Gipson would be in line for more snaps.

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Per Reed, Coker went through warmups on the side during Wednesday's practice and does not appear to be dealing with a serious injury, but it is limiting him to start the week. He was not in a walking boot like he was on Monday, which is a good sign, and coach Dave Canales told Joe Person of The Athletic on Wednesday that he expects Coker to suit up Sunday in Atlanta. Coker is coming off a career day in Sunday's loss to the Bears with eight grabs for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

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Coker said he rolled his ankle in the first quarter against Chicago, but he deemed the injury minor and suggested the boot is for precautionary reasons. The second-year wideout expects to play next Sunday against the Falcons. In the Panthers' Week 1 loss to the Bears, Coker paced Carolna in receiving with a monster 8-138-2 line on nine targets. He's emerged as a clear-cut every-down receiver and should be viewed as an upside WR3 in fantasy.

Kaye notes that Brooks was spotted doing some running, so he wasn't completely limited to rehab work. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, Panthers head coach Dave Canales expressed optimism last week that Brooks would be ready to play in Sunday's season opener versus the Bears, and the running back's lack of involvement in Monday's practice isn't believed to have changed the Panthers' stance. Brooks missed the entire 2025 campaign after tearing the ACL in his right knee for the second time in his career in December 2024, but he was fully cleared in the spring and saw action in two preseason games.

Christensen will be required to miss the first four games of the regular season on IR before becoming eligible to return to the Panthers' active roster. Mike Kaye of ESPN.com reports that general manager Dan Morgan said he expects Christensen to return at some point during the regular season, but it remains unclear when that will be.

Hubbard's level of participation in practice will be monitored, but he's on the field with his helmet as the session gets underway. The veteran has been hampered by a hamstring injury sustained in mid-August, but has been progressing well. His participation on Tuesday is a good sign that he's trending in the right direction toward being ready for the start of the season.

Martin-Scott picked up a hamstring injury during training camp practice, preventing him from playing in the Panthers' preseason finale against the Texans on Friday. The injury is severe enough for the South Carolina product to start the regular season on IR, meaning he won't be eligible to play until at least Week 6 against the Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 18. Martin-Scott mostly served on special teams for the Panthers in 2025, finishing with 21 tackles (seven solo) and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games.

Ekwonu continues to recover from a ruptured patellar tendon that he suffered in the Panthers' wild-card loss to the Rams in January. He is required to miss at least the first four games of the regular season, with Week 6 against the Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 18 the earliest he can return. Rasheed Walker figures to serve as the Panthers' starter at left tackle for as long as Ekwonu is sidelined.

Moton will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lung before the beginning of training camp and is being treated using blood thinners. The earliest Moton can return is Week 6 against the Eagles, though the Panthers will likely take the cautious route with the 2017 second-rounder given the nature and severity of the injury. Monroe Freeling is in line to start at right tackle in Moton's absence.

Wharton underwent a procedure on his neck in early May, and he spent the entirety of the preseason on the active/PUP list. The defensive lineman will now be forced to miss at least the first four contests to open the regular season while he continues to recover.

Etienne suffered an ankle injury in Friday's preseason finale versus Houston, and he will now be forced to miss at least four contests while on IR. The running back was expected to operate as a depth option behind Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) and Jonathan Brooks to open the season, so in his absence, AJ Dillon will likely slot in as the No. 3 option. Additionally, Etienne has operated as the team's primary return specialist on both kicks and punts, so Carolina will have to find replacements there for the time being.

Evans aggravated a neck injury during Wednesday's practice and was subsequently held out of Friday's game. The backup cornerback signed a one-year deal in March to stay with the Panthers and will likely reprise his role with the team in 2026.

Martin-Scott was held out of the game due to a new hamstring injury. The second-year undrafted free agent out of South Carolina is set to be a key piece of the Panthers' linebacker depth throughout the 2026 season. If Martin-Scott's injury persists into the regular season, Claudin Cherelus could see an increased number of snaps for the defense.

Etienne rushed one time for two yards in Friday's preseason finale against the Texans. The running back is set to be the starting kick and punt returner for the Panthers, as well as the primary depth behind the split backfield of Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) and Jonathon Brooks. If Etienne's injury requires him to miss the Week 1 game against the Bears, AJ Dillon will likely be the No. 3 running back, while Jimmy Horn and David Moore could return kicks and punts.

The linebacker needed some medical attention due to soreness in his injured knee, per Carboni. Panthers coach Dave Canales told reporters that Lloyd should be ready for Carolina's regular-season opener. The former Jaguar signed a three-year, $42-million contract with the Panthers in the offseason after recording more than 100 tackles in three of his first four NFL seasons.

It was reported earlier in August that Hubbard was on track to suit up for Carolina's season opener, and per head coach Dave Canales he remains on track to do so. Should Hubbard suit up for Week 1 as anticipated, he and Jonathon Brooks will work in a committee, per Joe Person of The Athletic.

King suffered a hamstring injury in the Panthers' win over the Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 6. He played well in that contest, but given his lack of practice reps and the fact that he'll miss the last three preseason games, King's place on the 53-man roster by the end of training camp is far from guaranteed. Kenny Pickett is expected to be Bryce Young's backup this season, so if the Panthers choose to roster a third quarterback, then Kyle Trask would be King's competition for the QB3 role.

Legette sustained an ankle injury during Wednesday's joint practice with the Jaguars, and given that he'll be in a walking boot until Thursday, he'll presumably sit out Friday's preseason finale against the Texans. When available, the 2024 first-rounder has an opportunity to claim a portion of the Panthers' WR targets that don't go to Tetairoa McMillan or Jalen Coker, a context that may not yield steady volume as long as both McMillan and Coker are available.

Phillips' arm issue was likely sustained during Wednesday's joint practice with the Jaguars. The outside linebacker participated in the first few drives of last Saturday's game against the Bills, logging 1.0 sacks in the brief appearance. It is unclear how severe Phillips' injury is or if he will need to miss additional time. Princely Umanmielen will take over the role of primary edge rusher opposite Patrick Jones in Friday's contest.

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Lewis was able to return to practice for the first time in a couple weeks as he appears to have fully recovered from the calf injury he suffered in late July. The 29-year-old is expected to operate as Carolina's starting left guard this season, and he will now be good to go for the team's preseason opener Saturday in Buffalo.

Waller came out of a one-year retirement last summer to join the Dolphins and appeared in nine regular-season games with Miami, registering 24 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns as a red-zone weapon. Injuries have been Waller's downfall in recent years, and he missed considerable time last season with hip, pectoral and groin issues. His looming addition is bad news for all three of Tommy Tremble, Ja'Tavion Sanders and Mitchell Evans, who were all expected to see considerable playing time in a three-man committee at the position for the Panthers. Waller's main contributions figure to come on third downs and in the scoring area, assuming he makes the 53-man roster out of camp.

Lewis has been dealing with a calf injury since late July and is set to receive some snaps in Saturday's preseason opener. The starting left guard is adjusting to the issue, and game-situation snaps are likely the next step in his regular-season preparation.

Wharton started training camp on the active/PUP list due to neck surgery he had in mid-May. The defensive tackle has yet to be cleared for contact but has been participating in individual drills while he waits to be medically cleared. Wharton is coming off a career-high 36 tackles (11 solo) over nine regular-season games.

Incoom was cleared to play in Thursday's exhibition game after fully recovering from offseason shoulder surgery that he underwent in June, and he played a total of 42 snaps (36 on defense, six on special teams). Incoom has contributed mostly on special teams since entering the league in 2023 and will likely reprise that role for the upcoming season. He finished the 2025 regular season with 17 tackles (nine solo) across 17 games.

Brazzell will officially miss his entire rookie season due to the LCL tear he suffered during Wednesday's training camp practice. The rookie third-round pick will undergo surgery and set his full attention on making a recovery for the 2027 campaign. In the wake of this transaction, Xavier Legette and John Metchie are the top candidates to secure the No. 3 wide receiver role in Carolina behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.