The Carolina Panthers head into Sunday’s matchup with the Cleveland Browns dealing with a thin injury report and a busy week of roster churn.
On the injury front, three defenders have already been ruled out: linebacker Devin Lloyd, linebacker Claudin Cherelus and safety Nick Scott. That leaves Carolina with a significant hole on that side of the ball, and Lloyd’s absence stands out as the biggest blow.
The better news comes at receiver. Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette are both questionable, but each was limited in Friday’s practice. Carolina is still hoping both young wideouts can be available when the Panthers try to move to 2-1.
The roster moves have been just as active. The Panthers placed running back Jonathon Brooks on injured reserve after he had surgery to repair a core muscle.
The 2024 second-round pick will miss at least six weeks, adding another setback for a player whose health has been a constant issue. Brooks has appeared in just five games over three seasons.
Carolina also signed safety Isaiah Simmons to the active roster from the practice squad. Simmons entered the league as the No. 8 overall pick in 2020 and spent three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, recording 258 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles and four interceptions.
The Cardinals traded him to the New York Giants in 2023, and he posted 71 tackles over two seasons while working in and out of the lineup. He signed with the Panthers’ practice squad last year, appeared in five games in 2025, and logged two tackles, one defensive snap and 87 special teams snaps.
He has continued to bounce between the practice squad and the active roster this season, appearing in both of Carolina’s games in 2026 with five defensive snaps and 49 on special teams.
The Panthers also added wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette to the practice squad. For Carolina fans, the name is familiar.
Smith-Marsette spent the 2023 season with the Panthers, serving as the primary punt returner and averaging 8.7 yards per return while taking one back for a touchdown. He also chipped in eight catches for 51 yards and eight carries for 74 yards and a score.
Originally a fifth-round pick by the Vikings in 2021, Smith-Marsette has bounced around the league. He handled punt returns for the Giants in 2024 and also returned 11 kickoffs, including one for a touchdown. New York released him during final roster cuts in 2025, and he did not land with another team last year.
The Panthers also brought back linebacker Jacoby Njongmeta on the practice squad. Njongmeta started his pro career in 2024 as an undrafted free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he played mostly special teams and finished with 13 tackles and two fumble recoveries in 17 games.
Carolina claimed him from the Bengals’ practice squad last year, and he appeared in 15 games in 2025 with 10 tackles. He was waived at final roster cuts this year before rejoining the Panthers’ practice squad.
In Other News...
Panthers May Have A Trade Chance Fans Didn't See Coming
Alec Pierces heel injury has already thinned Indianapolis receiving group, and the Colts tried to steady things by adding Darius Slayton. With Keenan Allen also staring at a possible suspension, the situation leaves a team that expected more stability at wideout suddenly piecing together answers on the fly. For Carolina, that matters because the Panthers have a receiver in John Metchie III who has had a hard time finding consistent playing time in a crowded room.
Metchies role in Carolina has been limited by the depth chart, which is exactly the kind of setup that can make a player available if another team is hunting for help. If the Colts decide they need yet another receiver, the Panthers could have a trade path that is easy to imagine and not so easy to ignore. It is still only a possibility, but it is the kind of roster wrinkle that can quickly become more interesting if Indianapolis keeps searching. [Read more 🡒]
Xavier Legette Enters A Crucial Panthers Stretch With Pressure Rising
Xavier Legette is heading into a pivotal stretch with the kind of attention that comes with being a young receiver trying to make his mark. The Panthers are still sorting through their passing-game identity, and Legette has made it clear he understands how much this season matters for his career. For Carolina, it is the familiar balancing act of developing a promising talent while asking him to help produce right away.
There was also a bit of roster movement around the edges of the wide-open offseason picture, with veteran running back Austin Ekeler working out for the team but leaving without a deal. It keeps the focus on the players already in the building, especially Legette, whose next steps will carry extra weight as the Panthers try to sharpen their offense and find more consistency on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Walk Into A Browns Spotlight Built Around Deshaun Watson
The Browns have kept the focus squarely on Deshaun Watson this week, and that puts Carolina in the middle of a game that already has a little extra edge to it. Cleveland offensive coordinator Travis Switzer said Watson has stayed locked in on preparation and confidence after drawing attention for his comments about being booed in a preseason game, and the message from the coaching staff has been consistent: keep supporting the quarterback, keep letting him play with conviction.
For the Panthers, the bigger wrinkle is simply that Watson is coming in as the starter after a strong showing in Week 2, which makes this a more pointed test than a routine September matchup. Carolina is walking into a spotlight built around a quarterback the Browns are still trying to steady publicly, and while Cleveland seems committed to backing Watson, the conversation around him is still lingering as the teams head into Week 3. [Read more 🡒]