The Panthers added receiver Diontae Johnson to their injury report on Thursday.
Johnson did not participate in the day’s session with a groin issue. But the team noted that Johnson is expected to practice on Friday, which is a good sign for his potential availability in Week 4.
Johnson caught eight passes for 122 yards with a touchdown in last week’s victory over the Raiders. He’s even more critical to Carolina’s offense now with fellow receiver Adam Thielen going to injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Quarterback Andy Dalton (ankle) remained on the injury report as a full participant.
Defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee) was upgraded from a non-participant to limited.
Cornerback Lonnie Johnson (hip), guard Damien Lewis (elbow), and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle (foot) remained non-participants.
Safety Nick Scott (quad) remained limited.
Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney returned to practice after a rest day. Running back Chuba Hubbard was a full participant after he was limited on Wednesday for rest. And offensive tackle Taylor Moton did not practice as a rest day.
Andy Dalton’s move into the starting quarterback job for the Panthers adds a little something to Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
Dalton spent his first nine seasons as the quarterback of the Bengals and he took the team to the playoffs four times while compiling a winning record during his starts for the team. The Bengals moved on when they had a chance to select Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in 2020, which left Dalton to move on to the backup quarterback era of his career.
That era took a turn with last week’s benching of Bryce Young and it gives Dalton a chance to face off with his first NFL team. It’s an opportunity that Burrow said he welcomes when he spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be nice to catch up with them and get to see them,” Dalton said, via Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “When you see Cincy on the schedule — I’ve had it every year except last year. So, it’s always fun to get the opportunity to go up against them.”
As Dalton notes, it’s not his first time facing the Bengals. He beat them while playing for the Cowboys and Bears, but took a loss while starting for the Saints in 2022. If he can pilot the Panthers to a win this weekend, he’d send his old team to an 0-4 record while continuing to pump some hope into what looked like a lost cause in Carolina at this time last week.
The Bengals are 0-3 and that means it is time to reconsider their approach to the season.
Some of that has to do with game plans and execution on the field, and quarterback Joe Burrow is also looking at off-field matters. Burrow said on Wednesday that he’s “never really been a big picture vocal kind of guy” when it comes to his leadership style, but that he thinks he may need to take on a new role as the team tries to right the ship after their poor start to the year.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys that we’re counting on that haven’t really been here before. [To] have them hear my voice more might be beneficial,” Burrow said, via the team’s website. “I’ve always just kind of picked my spots of when to do that. I’ve never really been that guy I would say. It still won’t be a big part of who I am, but there’s definitely some spots where [my voice] could be needed.”
Burrow knows “there’s only so much you can do” in terms of leadership affecting results on the field, but he’ll be doing what he can on that front.
Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is on the first Bengals injury report of the week.
Chase is listed as a limited participant in practice due to a shoulder injury. Chase’s listing is just an estimation as the Bengals are only holding a walkthrough two days after their loss to the Commanders.
The rest of the week should provide a better idea of Chase’s outlook for this weekend’s matchup with the Panthers.
Defensive end Trey Hendrickson (illness), defensive tackle B.J. Hill (hamstring), tight end Tanner Hudson (knee), and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) were listed as non-participants. Right tackle Trent Brown, who tore his patellar tendon, would have also been on the sideline Wednesday.
Panthers starting left guard Damien Lewis played 54 of 74 snaps on Sunday before leaving with an elbow injury. He did not practice Wednesday.
Coach Dave Canales said Lewis injured his ulnar collateral ligament.
Now comes word that Lewis actually tore the UCL in his elbow, Jordan Schultz reports. Lewis will miss at least one game but a stint on injured reserve is unlikely since Lewis plans eventually to play through it.
Lewis signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Panthers in March.
The Seahawks made him a third-round pick in 2020, and he started all 61 games he played for Seattle in his time there.
