The Carolina Panthers got unwelcome news on Tuesday, with two starters landing on the reserve/non-football injury list to open training camp.
Cornerback Jaycee Horn and right tackle Taylor Moton were both placed on the NFI list. Horn recently cut his foot while running and needed stitches, but he’s expected back early in camp. Moton’s situation is more serious: he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung in late June, was put on blood thinners right away, and is responding well to treatment while being checked daily by the team’s medical staff.
The Panthers expect Moton to miss regular-season time, though the hope is that he’ll return during the season. In the meantime, Carolina has already added insurance up front, signing veteran left tackle Rasheed Walker in free agency as cover for injured Ikem Ekwonu and using its first-round pick on Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling.
Carolina’s 2026 season opens against the Chicago Bears, and that matchup comes with plenty of context. Both teams made the playoffs last season, and both were knocked out by the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams beat the Panthers in the wild-card round and then took down the Bears in the divisional round.
Even with a division title in hand, Carolina’s 2025 run came with an asterisk of sorts: the Panthers finished below .500 and needed help in Week 18 to win the NFC South. Dave Canales and his team will have plenty to prove next season, especially after no longer being able to sneak up on anyone following a playoff berth.
A big part of that will be Bryce Young. Last season, he threw for 3,011 yards with 23 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while also adding 216 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. That performance helped push Carolina to the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
The first overall pick in the 2023 draft now has 8,291 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 718 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in a Panthers uniform. He’s set to make $12.1 million next season in the fourth year of his rookie deal, and his fifth-year option is worth a guaranteed $25.9 million.
For now, though, the bigger question is whether Carolina can navigate camp and the season without two key pieces on the field. And as things stand, most NFL insiders don’t expect the Panthers to work out an extension for Young this offseason, with his inconsistency still hanging over the conversation. He’ll need another strong season to change that.
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