Carolina Panthers first injury report of 2024 raises serious questions at tight end

The first regular season injury report for the Carolina Panthers.

Schuyler Callihan | Sep 4, 2024

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers appear to be in good shape health-wise heading into the first game of the regular season, but do have a handful of guys working through some things in addition to the long-term injured guys.

Shortly after Wednesday's practice, the Panthers released the first injury report of the week.

DNP

TE Ian Thomas (calf)

TE Tommy Tremble (hamstring/back)

LIMITED

OT Yosh Nijman (tibia)

RB Miles Sanders (finger)

What it means

The Panthers are seemingly going to put a lot on the shoulders of rookie tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, especially if Tremble and Thomas don't begin to trend in the right direction. Tremble has been nursing a hamstring for much of the preseason and now has a back issue that has popped up, putting his Week 1 status in question.

“It’s something that we’ve been managing, so we’re really trying to ramp those guys up and see if they’re ready to play," head coach Dave Canales said. "We’re going to take this thing through the whole week with Tommy and Ian - two guys that we’re certainly counting on. But we have to be smart and we have to get the rest of the group of tight ends ready to go incase they’re not able to join us.”

Veteran Jordan Matthews will also be in the mix for some playing time after a strong training camp and preseason and then for depth purposes, the Panthers signed Messiah Swinson off the Green Bay Packers practice squad.