If the Carolina Panthers are going to shuffle their offensive line, Dave Canales isn’t tipping his hand yet.
With Week 9 approaching and Carolina set to face the Denver Broncos, the Panthers head coach was asked whether he had settled on any changes up front after acknowledging earlier in the week that the team was exploring options. His answer left the door open, but gave nothing away.
“I won’t share that,” Canales replied. “We’re looking at a couple of guys, and just trying to really see where we’re at from a full-on-who gives us the best opportunity to be able to run the ball, pass and keep that balance?”
That balance has been hard to find. The Panthers’ offense, which had been among the league’s best earlier in 2026, has been dragged down by poor blocking. Entering Week 9, Carolina has the NFL’s leaders in pressures allowed at left tackle, center and right guard: Rasheed Walker, Luke Fortner and Robert Hunt.
The result has been a rough stretch for Bryce Young. The quarterback, who had been drawing early MVP buzz, was sacked 11 times across the Week 7 and Week 8 losses and finished those two games with 372 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
There may be some help on the way, though. Brady Christensen, a versatile sixth-year veteran, was designated to return to practice on Tuesday after dealing with a hamstring injury and could be in line for his regular-season debut this weekend.
Canales was upbeat when asked about Christensen’s week of work.
“He had a fantastic week,” he stated. “He looks really strong.
That was something I know he was focusing on. During the rehab, it was a hamstring injury-and as that resolved he was just staying on his program for building up his strength and mobility, all that.”
Christensen was listed as a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday.
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