With a showdown against the NFC’s best team, the Green Bay Packers, looming ahead, the Carolina Panthers franchise and fans are waiting with bated breath to learn quarterback Bryce Young’s final injury designation.
After missing the Week 8 beatdown from the Buffalo Bills due to an ankle injury he sustained the game prior, the former No. 1 overall pick returned to the practice field as a full participant, and head coach Dave Canales sounded optimistic about his progress.
List of Injuries for the Carolina Panthers
During his Monday press conference, head coach Dave Canales provided an update on the quarterback, who is ranked 32nd in PFSN’s QBi.
“With Bryce, [he’s] just getting better every day,” Canales said. “Had a good session running today in return-to-play. The goal is to get him out there on Wednesday, move him around, see if we can get him into practice in a mode. So, I’m optimistic he’ll be out there. But we’re going to take it day-to-day with him.”
In related news, and in good timing, backup quarterback Andy Dalton landed on the Panthers’ injury report as a DNP due to a thumb injury he picked up early in the home loss against the Bills. The thumb is on his throwing side hand, possibly playing a role in his underwhelming performance last Sunday.
The longest-tenured Panthers offensive lineman on the roster, starting right tackle Taylor Moton, wasn’t involved in the practice session due to a knee injury, though he was active in the ‘return to play’ phase off to the side. Canales spoke to Moton’s outlook and diagnosis, saying, “Taylor got a good report, as good as we could have. We’re going to work through him. He may be available Sunday”.
Other Panthers players joining Moton and Dalton as DNP designations for the Wednesday practice were center Cade Mays (ankle/knee), EDGE Princely Umanmielen (ankle), linebacker Trevin Wallace (shoulder), and safety Nick Scott (groin).
When asked specifically if Mays and Umanmielen were the most likely from the list of injured players to be out on Sunday, Canales answered, “Probably, yes”.
The team did open the 21-day window for depth interior offensive lineman Chandler Zavala to return to practice. He was a full participant on the practice field. With Mays seemingly destined to miss at least one game, Zavala could become a starting option for the Panthers at the right guard position, assuming the utility lineman Austin Corbett kicks back inside to center.
