It's game day for the Carolina Panthers once again. The team took down the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game last week, and now they're preparing to take on the Buffalo Bills.
None of the team's starters played in the preseason opener, but that won't be the case on Saturday. Head coach Dave Canales recently revealed that his starters will play a couple of possessions. Basically, anybody who is not hurt is expected to be on the field.
It's going to be exciting to see all of the starters back on the field for the first time. We know stars like Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jaelan Phillips will play, but who will be forced to miss? Let's take a look.
Panthers Reveal Inactive List
Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
According to Alex Zietlow of the Charlotte Observer, the following players will not suit up for the Panthers on Saturday:
- QB Haynes King
- RB Chuba Hubbard
- OL Damien Lewis
- OL Robert Hunt
- OLB Patrick Jones II
- DL Derrick Brown
King had an electric performance in the preseason opener. The quarterback led the team on a long touchdown drive to win the game, but he suffered an injury in the process.
Hubbard just injured his hamstring over the last week, and his absence will give Jonathon Brooks an even bigger opportunity. Lewis and Hunt have missed time throughout the summer, and it seems to be just precautionary to keep both out of this contest.
Jones was dealing with an illness earlier this week, so this seems like a precaution. Brown is reportedly dealing with knee soreness and is just going to rest this weekend. It's not like Brown's roster status is in jeopardy, so it makes sense to keep him on the sideline.
The biggest disappointment on this injury list is King. King looked explosive in the preseason opener and seemed to be earning his way onto the roster. If King were playing tonight, he'd be able to cement his place. Instead, the quarterback is just hoping to be healthy enough to play next weekend.
Hunt and Lewis being out will give depth linemen like Chandler Zavala and Isaia Glass a chance to prove they deserve a roster spot. The edge rusher room will be interesting to watch as well, because Jones is expected to start opposite Jaelan Phillips. Jones' absence gives guys like Cam Gill a chance to impress.
