Through seven games, the Carolina Panthers had used six different starting offensive line combinations and still ranked third in the league in rushing and eighth in sacks allowed per pass play.
But in one brutal afternoon against the Buffalo Bills, that stability vanished.
Right guard Brady Christensen suffered a significant Achilles injury, which required season-ending surgery. Star right tackle Taylor Moton exited with a knee injury and didn’t return after halftime. Center Cade Mays left early with an ankle issue.
Carolina Panthers offensive line has been decimated by injuries
By the end of the game, Carolina was running out of options. Austin Corbett slid to center, Yosh Nijman filled in at right tackle, and Jake Curhan, who signed off the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad just weeks ago, stepped in for Christensen. The result was seven sacks allowed and a heavy loss.
Now, the Panthers face Week 9 with four offensive linemen on the injury report. Christensen is out for the year. Mays and Moton are both sidelined. Even Damien Lewis, one of the few healthy starters, has been battling a shoulder injury.
Christensen’s injury hit particularly hard. He’s started at all five positions since arriving in Carolina and has become one of the most respected voices in the room.
"Any time you see guys going down like that, it's always tough to see," left tackle Ikem Ekwonu said. "Like those are the guys that you work with the whole offseason, you're on a shared mission together, especially some of those guys that have been here for the long haul, seeing the ups and downs of this program."
Beyond the five who finished against Buffalo, only one lineman remains on the active roster. That is center Nick Samac, who was poached from the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad earlier this season.
The practice squad options are thin: Brandon Walton (already promoted three times, the maximum) and Saahdiq Charles, who has 18 career starts. Rookie Michael Tarquin was released last week to make room for another quarterback before coming back.
That’s left the front office in scramble mode. Expect at least one signing and potentially a reshuffling of positions before Week 9.
The Panthers built their identity around the trenches. It was the foundation of their run game, their locker room, and their leadership. Now that the foundation is cracked, everything from Bryce Young’s protection to the team’s offensive rhythm hangs in the balance.
Carolina has faced adversity all season. But with multiple starters down and the campaign teetering, this week might be the one that defines whether that toughness still holds up.