Carolina Panthers can get healthier while playing their rookies
The Carolina Panthers have missed several starters for every week of the season so far, handicapping a roster that had already been projected as one of the least talented in the league. It also took them out of games at the beginning of the year that may have been winnable.
On defense, D.J. Wonnum, Amaré Barno, Jadeveon Clowney, Derrick Brown, Shaq Thompson, D.J. Johnson, and Jordan Fuller have all missed extended time. That's over half of Carolina's starters for those keeping score.
Fortunately for the Panthers, things are looking up. Wonnum caught the eye on debut against the New York Giants. Fuller is also back and Barno's practice window opened this week.
There is more depth to cover the offense, but several absences are still being felt. The losses of Austin Corbett and Damien Lewis stung an offensive line that has been one of the team’s biggest bright spots this season. Adam Thielen, a reliable veteran presence for an increasingly young and untested receiver corps, is expected to return on Sunday and play in his first game since the Week 3 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Rookie running back Jonathan Brooks will also debut.
The injuries provided an unseen benefit to the team. It allowed them to discover several key contributors for the future who may not have otherwise gotten a shot. Third-round rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace is third on the team in tackles, including a season-high 15 against the Chicago Bears when he made his first start in Week 5.
Brooks’ injury cleared the way for Chuba Hubbard to thrive as the team’s bell cow and cement himself as a key piece of the future. The Panthers can now demonstrate a 1-2 running back punch akin to DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in the early 2010s or Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery on the Detroit Lions this season.
Thielen’s injury also allowed Jalen Coker to get meaningful playing time and seize the opportunity in earnest. The undrafted free agent leads the team in yards per catch and has become a physical threat the Panthers haven’t had in a long while.
As the veterans continue to trickle back, matching them with the younger players who have established themselves and a couple of high draft picks should allow for a much more talented roster in 2025.