The Carolina Panthers released their final injury report for Week 4 ahead of Sunday Night Football against the Detroit Lions, and it’s concerning news for quarterback Bryce Young. First of all, Young was not listed on the final injury report despite dealing with a knee injury coming out of Week 3’s loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Young was banged up in that game and pressured for the majority of it. He still finished the game and underwent tests Monday. He wore a brace on his left knee during practice Thursday, but he was a full participant throughout the week. Clearly, there are no concerns about Young’s status for Sunday night.

That being said, the final injury report following Friday’s practice raises some concerns about the rest of the offense around him heading into this potential shootout.

Jalen Coker is a true questionable for the Panthers against the Lions

First and foremost, wide receiver Jalen Coker enters this weekend as a true questionable, similar to last week. Coker managed to suit up against the Browns last Sunday before leaving with a quad injury, and he was limited in practice all week, including Friday.

Head coach Dave Canales said the Panthers were trying to see how far they could push Coker this week before deciding whether he can go Sunday night. Carolina will see how he moves around Saturday before making a final decision.

“We brought him out just before practice started and put him through a whole individual period. He was able to get into the team periods for a little bit. We’re going to have to see tomorrow,” Canales said of Coker. “We’re going to have to gather more information for Jalen to see where that’s headed.”

Coker is a big part of this offense, and the timing matters. The Panthers are facing one of the elite offenses in the league with Jared Goff and Co. coming to town. Carolina needs to score as many points as possible to keep pace with that unit, let alone pull off a home win at Bank of America Stadium. Having Coker in the mix as one of the team’s top playmakers certainly helps in that regard.

Other WRs will have to step up if Jalen Coker doesn’t play on Sunday night

Without Coker, the pressure shifts to Tetairoa McMillan to step up, something we did not see last week. Fortunately, this is a much easier matchup through the air against the Lions’ secondary than the Browns presented. McMillan should see plenty of opportunities no matter what happens with Coker.

As for the rest of the room, Xavier Legette, one of the team’s field stretchers on the outside, is officially out for the second consecutive week with a knee injury. John Metchie III stepped up this week, practicing with the starting offense while Coker was limited.

Other depth options include veteran David Moore and Brycen Tremayne. If Coker is inactive, Canales confirmed Carolina will elevate preseason standout Ja’seem Reed from the practice squad to give the team plenty of options at the position.

Offensive line questions loom against a strong Detroit pass rush

The offensive line has struggled for the Panthers this season, and the injury report doesn’t help looking ahead to Sunday. Young was pressured on more than 50 percent of his dropbacks against Cleveland, and the Lions bring a strong pass rush into this matchup.

To combat that, Carolina will be without veteran left guard Damien Lewis, who has a UCL injury in his elbow. His absence was expected and Lewis is expected to miss only one game and return in Week 6 following the Week 5 bye.

Corey Bullock, whom the Panthers claimed off the waiver wire following roster cuts, will make his first start with the team. It’s worth noting that Bullock already saw some action at guard last week while Lewis was out before returning to the game.

At right tackle, rookie Monroe Freeling remains in the concussion protocol, so his status will be worth watching. Canales did not explicitly say who would start if Freeling is sidelined, likely trying to hold onto a competitive edge. Still, the expectation is that Stone Forsythe, the team’s swing tackle who has history with Canales going back to their time in Seattle, would get the nod if Freeling can’t clear protocol in time.

“He’s in the protocol,” Canales said of Freeling. “He was cleared to fully participate in practice today. There’s still a couple of things that he has to pass to make sure he’s fully clear for contact. We’ll do the right thing for Monroe in this situation.”

All of this is concerning news for Young, who needs the best protection and weaponry possible to keep pace with this Detroit offense.

Carolina’s defense gets healthier at the right time

Defensively, the Panthers are in good shape. Linebacker Devin Lloyd is expected to return after a one-game absence with the calf injury he suffered against the Atlanta Falcons, and safety Nick Scott is also expected back after missing last week’s game.

Getting Lloyd back is a big boost for that unit. He’s the leader of the second level, and his presence matters against an offense with as many weapons as Detroit has.

The only real spot to watch on defense is the interior. Defensive tackle Cam Jackson is questionable with a knee injury, and rookie defensive tackle Lee Hunter is questionable as well with a foot injury. Both were limited during Friday’s practice.

Going into Sunday night, though, the biggest question for Carolina is on offense. Coker’s status, the right tackle spot, and how Bullock holds up at left guard will go a long way in determining whether Young has enough help to keep up with the Lions.