The Panthers receiving corps got smaller this week when they traded Diontae Johnson to the Ravens and Thursday’s practice raised the possibility that they could be without Xavier Legette as well.
Legette was listed as a limited participant due to a toe injury. Legette was not on the injury report at all on Wednesday, so Friday’s participation will be telling about the risk to his availability against the Saints.
Adam Thielen (hamstring) was also listed as limited as he works to make his return from injured reserve.
Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (ankle), tight end Feleipe Franks (concussion), safety Jammie Robinson (knee), and right tackle Taylor Moton (rest) didn’t practice. Linebacker DJ Johnson (ankle) and tight end Tommy Tremble (back) were limited participants after missing Wednesday’s session.
Quarterback Andy Dalton (thumb) was a full participant again, but he’s set to be the backup to Bryce Young this week.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson experienced a major change in circumstances this week.
Johnson was traded from the Panthers to the Ravens in a deal that took him from a team with a 1-7 record to one with a 5-3 mark and aspirations for a deep playoff run. Johnson shared his reaction to that change of fortune after his first practice session with his new team on Wednesday.
“Once I found out where I was going, I was excited,” Johnson said, via the team’s website. “Sigh of relief. I’m ready to work.”
Johnson spent his first five seasons with the Steelers, so he’s very familiar with the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Speaking of Jackson, Johnson said that getting a chance to “contribute to the offense that he’s a part of and that he is a leader of is a blessing” and the hope in Baltimore is that the new wideout helps lift everyone to new heights in the second half of the season.
Derek Carr is expected to be back at quarterback for the Saints this weekend and he said on Wednesday that the Saints can expect his “full commitment” to trying to turn around a season that started going off the rails before he missed three games with an oblique injury.
What Carr won’t promise is that his attempt will be a successful one. The Saints have lost six straight games after starting the season 2-0 and Carr was asked if he feels added pressure to stop the bleeding.
“I am no savior. There’s only been one of those and, that is not me,” Carr said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. “I am here to be a great leader and to be a great teammate and to do my job the best of my ability. And do I feel confident in what I can do? Absolutely. I feel confident in what I can do. I feel confident in what I can bring to our team. And that’s exciting, right? But to save us or anything like that, that’s not me, I’m gonna come in and do what my guys expect me to do. Bring energy, bring effort, be a great teammate. Encourage our guys, get everybody on the same page, lock in the details, hold each other accountable.”
The Saints will be in Carolina on Sunday and it’s hard to imagine a better opportunity to end a losing streak than playing the Panthers. If that doesn’t happen, it’ll be a long second half in New Orleans.
The Saints appear likely to have their QB1 back when they play the Panthers this weekend.
Head coach Dennis Allen said in his Wednesday press conference that it’s his expectation that Derek Carr will start on Sunday.
“Derek participated in practice,” Allen said. “We had him on a little bit of a pitch count today, but he did well. And I think signs are optimistic for the weekend.”
Carr has been sidelined since suffering an oblique injury against the Chiefs in Week 5.
Allen said Carr looked good in practice on Wednesday. While the team needs to see how Carr responds, Allen said Carr’s work was encouraging.
“I think it’s really just about how he looks out here in practice, how he throws the football, and how he feels in doing that,” Allen said. “Like I said, he’s been feeling much better each and every day.”
While Spencer Rattler started the last three games, Allen noted that Jake Haener is set to be the team’s backup behind Carr in Week 9.
Bryce Young will have at least another week as Carolina’s QB1.
Head coach Dave Canales said in his Wednesday press conference that Young will start against the Saints on Sunday, as Andy Dalton continues to rehab his right thumb injury.
“Andy is progressing,” Canales said. “He was out there throwing and I just really looked at all the things and for me, just erred on the side of caution and wanted to get Andy in the best possible situation to be able to make a decision going forward.
“Also, I’m excited for Bryce to have an opportunity to build off some of the things he did last week. Certainly things to work on, but a lot of good stuff that he did, too.”
While Dalton was a full participant in Carolina’s Wednesday practice, Canales noted that he wants to give Dalton more time to make sure his thumb is healed.
“It really was me taking the decision out of Andy’s hands,” Canales said. “If you were to ask Andy, can you go? He would tell you, yes. And for me, it’s like, he’s a week removed from a thumb injury. And I just wanted to make sure that we’re putting him back out there in the right state, in the right framework.
“And, I’m excited for Bryce to have another opportunity to build on the things that we’ve talked about, to continue to just grow and get that experience that we’ve talked about is invaluable — to be on the field, to be calling the plays, and doing it.”
This doesn’t mean that Young will remain the starter going forward, however.
“Bryce will be starting this week. We’ll collect all the information over the week with Andy, with Bryce, how he plays this week,” Canales said. “And then we’ll make another decision next week.”
Young completed 24-of-37 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in Carolina’s 28-14 loss to Denver last week. In five appearances with three starts this season, Young has completed 59.8 percent of his throws for 523 yards with two touchdowns and five picks.
Also on the injury report, offensive tackle Ike Ekwonu (ankle), tight end Feleipe Franks (concussion), linebacker DJ Johnson (ankle), safety Jammie Robinson (knee), and tight end Tommy Tremble (back) all did not practice.
Receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was limited.
Running back Jonathon Brooks (knee), defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy (ankle), safety Jordan Fuller (hamstring), offensive tackle Yosh Nijman (knee), and linebacker D.J. Wonnum (quad) were all full.
Linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, linebacker Josey Jewell, and defensive end A’Shawn Robinson received rest days.
