Packers aren’t the only team dealing with mounting injuries, and their prime-time opponent may have it even worse
Carolina has already lost starters along the offensive line and on defense, and the short week is adding one more name to the list.
The Green Bay Packers have dealt with plenty of injuries this season, and Micah Parsons still won’t be available for “Thursday Night Football” against the Carolina Panthers. The opponent, however, has faced even more injury adversity, and the short week is about to add another problem before they travel to Green Bay.
Carolina has been forced to shuffle its lineup on both sides of the ball. The defense in particular has been hit hard, and the list could grow before kickoff on Thursday.
Another edge defender in doubt
According to Joe Person, the Panthers beat writer for The Athletic, edge defender Jaelan Phillips worked on the stationary bike during the team’s walkthrough on Monday. Person added that, on a short week, Phillips likely won’t be available against the Packers.
That would be a major blow for a pass rush that is already thin. Fellow edge defender Nic Scourton, a former second-round pick, is on injured reserve. If Phillips can’t play, the Panthers’ edge rotation will include a combination of Patrick Jones II, Princely Umanmielen, Travis Gipson, and Nick Hampton.
The secondary is also short-handed. Cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson are both hurt. Without those starters, the Panthers have relied on Akayleb Evans (who’s also dealing with a triceps injury) and Will Lee III on the outside, with safety Tre’von Moehrig in the slot.
Reshuffled offensive line
The problems don’t stop with the defense. The Panthers placed starting right tackle Taylor Moton on injured reserve after he got hurt in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Carolina was already without left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who won’t play in the 2026 season. That has been the case from the start of the year, so former Packers tackle Rasheed Walker has held down the left side. Now, with Moton sidelined, first-round rookie Monroe Freeling will start at right tackle.
That’s a lot of change for one offensive line in a single season. Carolina will have a rookie and a fill-in at both tackle spots on a short week. For a Packers defense that is still missing Parsons, the matchup on the edges could create opportunities for the rest of the pass rush.
Packers’ own concerns
None of this means Green Bay is entering the game at full strength. The Packers have had their own share of injuries throughout the season, and the center position is the most pressing concern right now. Sean Rhyan and Jacob Monk are both unavailable, which leaves the interior of the offensive line in a tough spot against any defensive front.
Add Parsons’ absence, and the Packers have clear reasons to worry about how this group holds up on just a few days of preparation.
The Panthers’ situation puts Green Bay’s injury woes into perspective, though. For the Packers, that makes Thursday night a more balanced matchup in terms of health than it first appears. Both teams will need their backups to deliver on a short week, and the side that handles that adversity better will likely leave the field with the win.
