The Carolina Panthers released offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles shortly after placing him on injured reserve with a calf injury. This is the latest domino to fall in a training camp that's turned into an injury tracker more than a football story.
Charles had been working with the first team, stepping in for Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis while both starters nursed their own injuries. Now, he'll no longer be part of the team's plans.
The 27-year-old appeared in just two games. Not exactly a proven guy, but he was the next man up. That is no longer the case.
Carolina Panthers' crushing blows keep coming with painful Saahdiq Charles outcome
Veteran right tackle Taylor Moton was never on the field to begin with, sidelined before camp even opened with a blood clot. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is out until further notice with a torn patellar tendon. Lewis has been dealing with his own calf strain.
That's a lot of firepower to be without in the trenches. Monroe Freeling, Carolina's first-round pick, already got pushed from a left tackle competition into the starting right tackle job because of the Moton injury.
Calf injuries carry extra weight here too. Charles dealt with similar issues during his time with the Washington Commanders. And just as the former LSU star was finally starting to build momentum, another crushing setback arrived.
Charles was never going to be confused with a long-term answer at guard or tackle. But losing him now, with Hunt and Lewis both banged up, thins a line that was supposed to be a strength heading into a pivotal year for quarterback Bryce Young and head coach Dave Canales.Â
Carolina's front office is managing this the only way it can. They are trying to plug the holes with experience and hope the standard doesn't slip too far before the starters get healthy. Unfortunately for Charles, he will no longer be part of the equation.
Even further, Charles became the latest casualty in a training camp defined by injuries, with the Panthers already losing wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, edge rusher Nic Scourton, Moton, and wide receiver Dan Chisena to reserve lists while continuing to monitor Xavier Legette, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Lewis, Thomas Incoom, and Trevin Wallace.
Not ideal, but the Panthers just have to play the hand they've been dealt.
Training camp injuries are inevitable around the NFL, but few teams have seen them pile up at the rate Carolina has this summer.
The Panthers have consistently preached a "next man up" mentality under Canales, and that message is already being put to the test before the regular season has even begun.
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