The Chicago Bears made a quarterback move ahead of their Week 1 meeting with the Carolina Panthers, signing Miller Moss to the practice squad and elevating him for the game.
That adds another layer to a matchup that already carries plenty of early-season weight. The Panthers and Bears both reached the postseason last year, and Carolina heads into 2026 trying to build on an 8-9 finish. With a weak NFC South helping them into the playoffs, the Panthers got a valuable look at what life can be like for a young team in the postseason.
For Chicago, the quarterback picture behind Caleb Williams has shifted just enough to matter. Tyson Bagent is listed as questionable, leaving his availability uncertain, while veteran Case Keenum is also on the roster. Moss now looks like the emergency third option if the Bears need another arm.
Moss arrived in Chicago as an undrafted free agent in the 2026 NFL Draft and landed with the Bears for training camp. He spent last season at Louisville, where he threw for 2,769 yards and 16 touchdowns. Before that, he transferred from the USC Trojans, and with USC he started nine games in 2024, putting up 2,555 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
At Louisville, Moss helped the Cardinals finish 9-4.
Unless injury forces the issue, Moss is unlikely to see the field. The more immediate challenge for Carolina is slowing down Williams and a Bears offense that was one of the league’s most explosive units last season. Chicago emerged as one of the surprise teams in 2025, and the Panthers will be trying to start the year by handing them a loss.
If Carolina’s defense can contain Williams, that would give Bryce Young a chance to go win the game. Young is expected to be asked to do more this season after a year that brought plenty of inconsistency.
In Other News...
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The Panthers are set to make a subtle but notable shift in 2026, one that will stand out to longtime fans who have watched the franchises home look stay largely the same for years. For the first time in team history, Carolina will not wear white jerseys at home, starting the season by bringing out its blue tops with black pants, socks and alternate black helmets against the Chicago Bears.
The change also reshapes the road wardrobe in a way that keeps the contrast simple and familiar. Carolina will wear white jerseys in all eight away games next season, making the home-road split even more defined while giving the team a new visual identity at Bank of America Stadium all year long. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Get A Tougher Week 1 Test Than Expected
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Odunze was listed as questionable, leaving the final call in the Bears hands after their medical staff weighs in. For Carolina, that adds another layer to an early test that already looked tricky enough, especially if Chicago gets one of its more talented young weapons available at near full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Have A New Strength Fans Cant Ignore
The Panthers spent last season getting pushed around on defense, and the result was hard to miss for anyone who watched the tape or the standings. After promoting Dan Morgan to president of football operations/general manager and bringing in Dave Canales as head coach, Carolina has spent the offseason trying to build a sturdier foundation, with the kind of linebacker investment that suggests the front office knows where the problems started.
That effort has centered on Devin Lloyd, who signed a three-year deal, with Bobby Okereke and Tyrel Dodson also added to fortify the middle of the defense for the 2026 season. It is a notable shift for a team that surrendered the second-most total yards in NFL history and finished 5-12, and it gives Carolina something it has lacked for a while: a linebacker group that suddenly looks like a real strength instead of a liability. [Read more 🡒]