Seriously, the Panthers are already facing a tough start to training camp because two of their main guys won’t be out there. We’re talking about veteran cornerback Jaycee Horn and right tackle Taylor Moton, and both of them are getting slapped on the non-football injury list. This is not how you want to kick things off.
The Rough Start for the Offensive Line
The biggest gut punch here has to be Taylor Moton. The guy is dealing with a blood clot in his lung! Can you believe that? He was diagnosed back in late June and immediately put on blood thinners. The good news is the team says he’s responding well to the treatment, but man, he’s set to miss time during the regular season. They’re hoping he can make it back at some point in 2026, but that’s a massive hole on their offensive line right out of the gate. Talk about a curveball before the season even really starts.
It’s not just Moton, either. Jaycee Horn is also going on the NFI list after suffering a cut on his foot that needed stitches. At least with Horn, Carolina is expecting him to return during the early portion of camp, so it’s not quite as dire. But combine these new issues with an existing problem: starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu already ruptured his patellar tendon clear back in January during their postseason loss. Honestly, it makes total sense now why the club signed veteran Rasheed Walker in free agency and then went and drafted Monroe Freeling in the first round. They knew they needed to seriously beef up that offensive tackle depth, and now we’re seeing exactly why it was such a critical move.
Panthers rookies report to training camp on Tuesday, with the veterans following on Wednesday this week. They’re walking into an immediate headache with these injuries, especially on that offensive line. It’s going to be a real test of their depth and coaching right from day one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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