Derrick Brown – Syndication Server

Where do the Panthers stand in NFL power rankings heading into Week 5?

Did the Panthers bottom out in the power rankings following their Week 4 loss to the Bengals?

Unfortunately for the Carolina Panthers, a winning streak was simply not meant to be. After a triumphant victory against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3, the team fell short of knocking off the Cincinnati Bengals in a 34-24 loss this past Sunday.

So, how far did they fall across the power rankings?

Let’s take a look at where the Panthers stand heading into Week 5 . . .

USA TODAY

Author: Nate Davis

Rank: 25 (-2)

Take: “They head to Chicago this week. Better lock the hotel safes and stadium lockers given the Bears will try to steal a win after already swiping WR DJ Moore and the No. 1 pick of this year’s draft.”

NFL.com

Author: Eric Edholm

Rank: 31 (-)

Take: “Once again, benching Bryce Young for Andy Dalton looked like the right decision, as Dalton kept the chains moving all game against the Bengals and played well, even with a tipped-pass interception. He has limited the sacks (zero on Sunday) and helped stretch the field, two things Young was unable to do, which has given receivers such as Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette a chance to showcase their skills to a greater degree. Johnson dropped a would-be TD on the opening drive, but he’s come alive with Dalton under center. The run game also showed more juice, although a leaky Bengals defense was partly responsible for that. Still, the entire operation looks better, even as the Panthers remain in the infancy stages of their rebuild.”

ESPN

Author: David Newton

Rank: 31 (-)

Take (on team’s biggest issue on defense): “Injuries could be the answer here, because LB Shaq Thompson is now out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles, and the Panthers were already down three starters — DE Derrick Brown (knee), DT Shy Tuttle (foot) and S Jordan Fuller (hamstring). But pressure was a concern heading into the season, and it was magnified Sunday against the Bengals. QB Joe Burrow was pressured on just four of 32 dropbacks, the third-lowest he has faced in his career. Carolina has no one outside of LB Jadeveon Clowney who can consistently get to the QB.”

CBS Sports

Author: Pete Prisco

Rank: 31 (-2)

Take: “The Andy Dalton bump came to a halt because the defense had issues against the Bengals. But the offense is better with Dalton than when Young was in the lineup.”

Pro Football Talk

Author: Mike Florio

Rank: 31 (-2)

Take: “Yes, Week 3 said more about the Raiders than it did about the Panthers.”

Yahoo Sports

Author: Frank Schwab

Rank: 31 (-1)

Take: “The Panthers’ offense still looked viable in Andy Dalton’s second start, despite Sunday’s loss to the Bengals. Carolina won’t win many games but Sunday showed it’ll remain competitive.”

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What Shaq Thompson’s season-ending injury means for the Panthers

Panthers LB Shaq Thompson has had his season cut short by a devastating injury once again. What does this latest development mean moving forward?

A year of growing pains just got a lot more painful for the Carolina Panthers.

As first reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport on Monday, inside linebacker Shaq Thompson sustained a tear of his Achilles tendon in yesterday’s 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The 30-year-old defender will now miss the remainder of the 2024 campaign, making this the second straight season in which his efforts have been cut short by injury.

So, what does this mean for the Panthers and for Thompson moving forward?

Here are three takeaways from the loss of yet another team leader:

Capt’d out

In addition to being an unquestioned leader, Thompson was voted as one of four team captains for the 2024 season. The other three? Quarterback Bryce Young, defensive lineman Derrick Brown and safety/special teams ace Sam Franklin Jr.

But now that Thompson is down, Carolina probably won’t have any of their captains on the field for the foreseeable future. Young has been benched in favor of veteran Andy Dalton, Brown sustained a season-ending injury of his own and Franklin Jr. is still recovering from the broken foot he picked up during training camp.

The Panthers may not be able to hand out any more of those ‘C’ patches, but they will need some vets to step up in the vacated leadership roles on the field—especially for the sake of their struggling defense.

Trev-in

Speaking of stepping up, rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace seems to be the favorite to replace Thompson in the starting lineup.

The third-round pick turned quite a few heads this offseason, displaying his eye-opening athleticism during spring and summer workouts. While Thompson has been rock-solid, even in 2024, he does not have the big-play ability that’s brewing up in the promising 21-year-old.

Wallace was drafted, presumably, as the succession plan to Thompson. That succession plan, however, is set to begin a bit earlier than expected and could see the youngster bring a fresh and much-needed spark in the takeaway department.

Is this it?

We may have seen the final snap for Shaq, at least in Carolina.

Thompson is slated to become a free agent at season’s end, putting his future with a changing organization in question. The Panthers certainly value Thompson’s presence and play, but an 11th year in black and blue feels rather unlikely given the team’s direction.

If this is indeed it for Thompson, who has already vowed to return to the field, the Achilles tear is an unfortunate end to what’s been an admirable and well-respected run in Charlotte for the 2015 first-round pick.

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Reports suggest devastating development for Panthers LB Shaq Thompson

The 2024 season seems to be over for Panthers LB Shaq Thompson.

The Carolina Panthers may have lost another one of their leaders on defense.

According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, inside linebacker Shaq Thompson is believed to have sustained a torn Achilles tendon in yesterday’s 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Thompson, who is set to undergo an MRI on the injury today, would be expected to miss the remainder of the season.

This 2024 campaign is Thompson’s 10th in the NFL, with each coming as a member of the Panthers. Carolina selected the University of Washington standout with the 25th overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft.

Thompson, who is slated to become a free agent at season’s end, talked a bit about the importance of 2024 back in the summer.

“I love it here,” he stated in June. “I been here for nine, going on to 10 years. I mean, this is all I know. I would love to retire here, but that’s in my fate. And when I say that—I control what I control, I control myself on that field. If I play well, I stay here. If not, I’m out. I understand and know the business. This is my last year, so I’m playing for the Panthers and I’m playing for 31 other teams.”

The 30-year-old ‘backer was playing some of his best ball prior to the injury, as he had accumulated 35 tackles through four games.

This is now the second season-ending injury in as many years for Thompson. He missed the final 15 games of the 2023 campaign after fracturing his fibula in Week 2.

Carolina is already without Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown, who tore his meniscus in the season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

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Biggest storylines for Panthers vs. Raiders in Week 3

Will the Panthers get lucky in Las Vegas with Red 14 on Sunday?

Will the Carolina Panthers finally start finding themselves some winnings out west this weekend?

Here are the biggest storylines for their Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders . . .

Roulette

The Panthers placed all of their chips on quarterback Bryce Young in 2023. But since No. 9 has yet to hit, they’ve now moved their pieces to Red 14.

14th-year veteran Andy Dalton was named the team’s new starter after a disappointing two-game stretch to begin the season. Carolina’s 0-2 start saw Young throw for just 245 yards and three interceptions while leading the offense to only one touchdown and two successful third-down conversions on 22 tries.

Dalton will not be expected to have all the answers for this struggling unit. But the 36-year-old and three-time Pro Bowler should carry in a bit of confidence under center, something that spot had been lacking with Young.

Jackpot

In addition to some knowhow and conviction, Dalton should also bring the deep ball back to the Carolina offense.

That too has been an element the Panthers were deprived of under Young—who averaged under three passing attempts of at least 20 yards downfield in his 18 career games. Dalton, in his lone start for the Panthers in 2023, threw seven such passes.

Opening up the field may help ignite a few pass catchers, including rookie Xavier Legette. The first-round pick, who was targeted zero times in last week’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, specifically made note of Dalton’s deep ball prowess on Thursday.

Hold ‘Em

Carolina’s defense had issues against the run even with a fully healthy lineup. Unfortunately, they’re not fully healthy anymore.

Not only will the Panthers continue to be without Pro Bowler Derrick Brown, but they could also be missing fellow starting defensive linemen A’Shawn Robinson (questionable) and Shy Tuttle (doubtful). This is not particularly great news for a group that allowed the second-most rushing yards (399) through Week 2.

They will, however, be facing the league’s least productive ground game in Las Vegas. The Raiders averaged just 49.0 rushing yards between their first two outings, 19 fewer yards than the next closest team.

So if the Panthers cannot stop that, then good luck from here on out.

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Something’s got to give: Raiders and Panthers biggest weaknesses face off

If there was ever a game the Raiders could get their run game going, it’s this one.

How the Raiders were able to win last week confounded quite a few NFL people. Mainly because the Raiders were expected to rely on their run game this season and that’s the one thing that’s been historically bad over the first two games.

That seems like a recipe for disaster. And yet they were able to shift gears in the second half last week and pull out a win.

Even as terrible as the Panthers have been through the air, they’ve been even worse on the ground. Leading to a situation where each team’s biggest weakness will face off against each other.

Raiders run game vs Panthers run defense

Or, in this case, the lack of both.

The Raiders have run for 98 yards this season. Not per game. Total. They average 2.5 yards per carry.

Meanwhile the Panthers run defense has surrendered 200 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry with three touchdowns. So, basically double what the Raiders have put up.

The problem is simple for each team, really. It’s the Raiders offensive line that’s been bad and the Panthers defensive line.

Run stops have been coming from across the line for the Raiders. No one is immune. While the Panthers’ defensive line hasn’t been stopping anything. Mainly because Derrick Brown is lost for the season.

So, either the Raiders are going to get their run game going in this game, or they never will.

4 things to know for Panthers vs. Chargers in Week 2

Here are four things to keep in mind for the Panthers’ 2024 home opener:

After beginning the 2024 season with an absolutely brutal loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Carolina Panthers will come back to Charlotte to try to bounce back against the Los Angeles Chargers.

But before we jump into the home opener, here are four things you need to know ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Bolts:

Historic dominance

The Panthers head into their Week 2 tilt with quite the edge in their all-time series against the Chargers. Carolina currently holds a 6-1 record against Los Angeles, including wins in their last four meetings.

Oh, and the first of those four gave us one of the most thrilling moments in franchise history . . .

https://twitter.com/Panthers/status/1834368080861929964

While the two teams seem to be trending in opposite directions at the start of this season, perhaps history will continue to be on Carolina’s side. We’ll see if they can extend their winning ways against the Chargers or give up some slack on the all-time mark.

New identities

Both the Panthers and the Chargers went into this past offseason looking to replace two horrendous coaching regimes. In Carolina, it was the short-lived Frank Reich era—which was a jumbled mess filled with regression and in-house drama. In Los Angeles, you had Brandon Staley—who failed to deliver during his three seasons in charge.

So, both teams took opposite approaches to their head-coaching searches. The Chargers looked to the experienced and established Jim Harbaugh to build a culture. The Panthers chose to go with a younger, fresh-faced first-year offensive coordinator to breathe life into their second-year quarterback.

Then, both coaches saw drastically different results in Week 1—with one pulling out a resilient win and the other a thorough and embarrassing loss. Canales now enters his matchup against Harbaugh in a must-look-competent situation after a 37-point loss.

(Big) Man down

The massive cherry on top of Carolina’s disastrous Week 1 sundae was their loss of defensive lineman Derrick Brown—who will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn meniscus. Their defense already looked helpless with the Pro Bowler on field, allowing 180 rushing yards to the Saints—so it’s going to be tough for the team to field a respectable front for the rest of the way.

Harbaugh and the Chargers have made it clear that they want to run the ball as their primary method of attack. And given the breakout of J.K. Dobbins last week, it could be a long day for the Panthers defense.

A big test

While it’s fair to say that the Panthers had an outright abysmal offensive performance in New Orleans, one of the few bright spots of outing was the offensive line.

Yes, there were a few sacks that leaked through. But the revamped offensive line held their own in pass protection, particularly from the inside.

This week, they face off against one of the most dynamic pass-rushing duos in Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. Both left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and right tackle Taylor Moton are going to need to bring their best to try and secure a safe pocket for quarterback Bryce Young.

If they can continue to protect their young passer, this offense may just have a shot.

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Key matchups for Panthers vs. Chargers in Week 2

Quite a few Panthers fans wanted WR Ladd McConkey out of this year’s draft. But now, the Chargers rookie may be a thorn in their team’s side this weekend.

Here are the four most important battles within Sunday’s Week 2 war between the Carolina Panthers and the Los Angeles Chargers:

Panthers OTs Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton vs. Chargers OLBs Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa

Don’t let the pair of Pro Bowl pass rushers get to your quarterback. Obvious, right?

Well, unfortunately for the Las Vegas Raiders, the pair of Pro Bowl pass rushers got to theirs last week. Bosa and Mack combined for 2.5 sacks and eight pressures of Gardner Minshew, helping keep their division rivals to just 10 points on the afternoon.

Ekwonu and Moton, although relatively solid in their 2024 debuts, combined to allow six pressures of Bryce Young in Week 1.

Panthers HC Dave Canales vs. Chargers S Derwin James

Speaking of Young being pressured, the second-year quarterback ate three sacks from cornerback (yes, cornerback) Alontae Taylor in the regular-season opener. The Panthers simply had no answer to the New Orleans Saints’ nickel blitzes.

So you better believe that the Chargers will move their chess piece James towards the pocket at least a few times. It’s up to Canales, who spoke about putting Young in better protection schemes this week, to find a way to neutralize that part of the All-Pro safety’s game.

Panthers’ front seven vs. Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins

The Panthers, even with Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown, allowed the Saints to march on them for 180 rushing yards. Now, they’re without Brown—and are set to face off against a run-heavy offense.

Last week’s ground attack for Los Angeles was led by running back J.K. Dobbins, who notched 135 yards and a touchdown on only 10 carries. And included in those 10 attempts were runs of 46 and 61 yards.

Carolina’s front seven can’t allow Dobbins to escape through their levels in ripping off another long run or two.

Panthers CB Troy Hill vs. Chargers WR Ladd McConkey

McConkey, a draft darling of quite a few Panthers fans this offseason, was quarterback Justin Herbert’s top target in Week 1—tallying team-highs in receptions (five), targets (seven), receiving yards (39) and receiving touchdowns (one).

Per Pro Football Focus, 14 of his 23 snaps in passing situations came out of the slot. So the rookie will be the primary responsibility for the nickel corner Hill, who saw 26 looks (20 more than the next closest Panther) from the slot in New Orleans.

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Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 2 opponent: Panthers

Here are some important things to know about the Panthers ahead of the Week 2 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers are on the road to face the Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 10:00 a.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 2 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

Offseason rebuild

After finishing 2-15 last season, a new coaching staff and front office members were brought in. Dave Canales is in his first season as head coach for the Panthers. Canales spent his first 13 seasons with the Seahawks (2010-22) in various offensive roles before serving as the offensive coordinator of the Buccaneers in 2023.

Bryce looking to bounce back

The Panthers selected quarterback Bryce Young with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Young’s rookie season wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, as he completed just 315 of 527 pass attempts for 2,877 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He only surpassed 200 passing yards in just five games. In the season opener last Sunday against the Saints, Young did not look much improved as a passer, completing 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards and two interceptions. Even with an upgraded receiver room, with Diontae Johnson and first-round pick Xavier Legette, Young still struggled to connect with them, overthrowing them on a few throws.

Defense was dominated

The Panthers bolstered their defense in the spring, signing defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson, linebacker Josey Jewell, edge defender Jadeveon Clowney, cornerback Dane Jackson and safety Jordan Fuller. Despite the additions, the product on the field was nothing to write home about. The Saints put up 47 points on the scoreboard. New Orleans scored on every one of its first nine possessions of the game. Carolina gave up 379 total yards, 180 of which came on the ground.

Star defender out for the season

The Panthers will be without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. The anchor of the defensive front, Brown just signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension this offseason. Brown is coming off a career year in which he amassed 103 tackles and 15 for loss.

Look out for…

Offensive lineman Robert Hunt. Usually, a skill player would be slotted here, but I’m highlighting the 100-million-dollar man. Previously with the Dolphins, Hunt has proven himself as one of the best right guards in the NFL. It will be a fun matchup in the trenches between him and Poona Ford and Otito Ogbonnia, who are both coming off dominant performances.

Panthers TE Tommy Tremble returns to practice on Wednesday

After missing Sunday’s opener, Panthers TE Tommy Tremble returned to the practice field this afternoon.

The Carolina Panthers really could’ve used some good news after learning that they’ve lost Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown for the season. And fortunately, they got a little light on Wednesday.

Starting tight end Tommy Tremble, who missed Sunday’s regular-season opener due to a hamstring injury, returned to the practice field this afternoon. In addition to Tremble, the 47-10 loss did not feature fellow tight end Ian Thomas—one of nine Panthers currently on an injured reserve list.

In Tremble’s place was rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders, who received the starting nod in his NFL debut. The 2024 fourth-round pick recorded one catch for four yards.

Carolina, however, did not have outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (ankle) and punter Johnny Hekker (back) down as participants for today’s session.

Here is the first injury report of the week ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers:

	Injury	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Game status
P Johnny Hekker	Back	DNP
OLB Jadeveon Clowney	Ankle	DNP
G Robert Hunt	Shoulder	Limited
G Damien Lewis	Groin	Limited
OT Yosh Nijman	Tibia	Limited
TE Tommy Tremble	Hamstring/back	Limited

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Panthers sign 2 players to active roster, 2 to practice squad on Tuesday

The Panthers made a series of moves on Tuesday.

The Carolina Panthers made a series of moves on Tuesday.

In addition to placing Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown on the season-ending injured reserve, the team signed two players to their active roster and two to their practice squad.

Joining the former group is running back Mike Boone and cornerback Lonnie Johnson, both of whom were elevated from the practice squad for this past Sunday’s regular-season opener. Boone and Johnson played primarily on special teams, with Boone getting four rushing attempts in the late stages of the 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Their newly-vacated spots on the practice squad will be filled by defensive lineman DeShawn Williams and cornerback Azizi Hearn. Williams spent the 2023 season with the Panthers—starting in 10 of his 16 outings.

To help make room on the active roster for their additions, the Panthers waived outside linebacker Jamie Sheriff—one of the six players claimed by the team following initial roster cutdowns a few weeks ago. Sheriff was also one of just four outside linebackers on the active roster.

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