The Carolina Panthers are dealing with the dreaded NFL short week at a bad time.
They play at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football to open Week 8, but injuries are crushing the Panthers as they haven’t had much time to recover from their Sunday shellacking at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Panthers already ruled out a handful of players on Wednesday, not even needing to leave them as game-time decisions, and there might be more injury question marks to come.
Panthers Announce 4 Players Out
The Panthers have already listed four players as out for Thursday night:
- LB Jaelan Phillips
- CB Akayleb Evans
- OG Damien Lewis
- OG Torricelli Simpkins III
Nothing about that list will be helpful to Carolina on Thursday night.
Jaelan Phillips Status
The $120 million edge rusher Phillips did not participate in practice at all this week due to a hamstring injury, and so he’ll miss Thursday Night Football.
It’s bad timing to be sure, because the Packers’ Jordan Love likes to sit back and wait a second extra to launch the ball deep. A big pass rush can be key to slowing down the Green Bay QB, but the Panthers won’t have Phillips.
CB Injuries
The Akayleb Evans absence is just insult to injury.
The Panthers already have starting CBs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on IR, and to not have Evans due to a dual triceps and knee injury combination makes things worse against a potent Packers passing attack.
Thin Offensive Line
The Panthers just lost offensive tackle Taylor Moton onto IR after the Week 7 loss.
Having both Lewis and Simpson absent from the interior of the offensive line for Thursday night won’t help matters at all.
Bobby Brown Question
The Panthers have listed Bobby Brown III as questionable for Thursday night with a hand injury.
He didn’t practice on Monday, but he’s listed as a full participant on Tuesday and Wednesday, which points to him likely being able to play.
Bryce Young, Jalen Coker, Ryan Fitzgerald Injuries
The QB Bryce Young, WR Jalen Coker and K Ryan Fitzgerald were all on the injury report this week but none has an injury designation.
Coker was limited on Monday due to a shoulder injury but was a full participant on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Young is listed with a knee injury but was a full participant all week.
Fitzgerald popped onto the report on Wednesday with an illness but is listed as practicing fully anyway.
The Panthers will need their core players at their best to beat the Packers.
Panthers Announce Bad Injury News for TNF With 4 Players Ruled Out