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The Carolina Panthers have been decimated by injuries since the calendar flipped over to 2026.
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Starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu suffered a torn patellar tendon in the playoff matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. It was a big loss for the Panthers, as Ekwonu had a nice 2025 season manning the blind side.
Since the injury happened so late in the season, we knew Ekwonu likely wouldn’t be ready for the beginning of 2026. The veteran has been on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list all offseason, but head coach Dave Canales offered a (somewhat) positive update on Monday.
Canales Not Ruling Anything Out With Ekwonu
Ekwonu obviously hasn’t been participating in team drills or the preseason, but he has been working on the side during training camp.
“Ickey’s doing great,” Canales said. “He had another great day on the field. He’s going in right now to get his lift in. He’s progressing really well again.
“Every case is different. We just got to take it with the information that we have, consult our experts, consult the surgeons, all those things, get reimaging and make sure we feel confident before.”
The Ekwonu situation was brought up on Monday because the Chicago Bears activated Ozzy Trapilo, who suffered the same injury at the same time as Ekwonu.
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Of course, every injury is different, as Canales said, but Trapilo recovering so quickly seems like a good sign.
As far as Ekwonu’s return, Canales said he’s not going to rule anything out. That could be a good or bad thing, as Canales isn’t ruling out the tackle being ready next month, but he’s also not ruling out the tackle missing the first month.
The good news is, it seems like the Panthers will be in decent shape even if Ekwonu misses several games.
Monroe Freeling, Rasheed Walker Holding Tackle Spots Down
Ekwonu isn’t the only tackle missing. The Panthers are also without right tackle Taylor Moton, who is dealing with blood clots.
The good news is, the team added Monroe Freeling in the draft and Rasheed Walker in free agency, and those two players have looked awesome this summer. Freeling and Walker were the only positives on the offensive line in the second preseason game, and both have received praise during camp.
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When Ekwonu and Moton come back, this line could suddenly become deep.
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This story was originally published August 17, 2026 at 8:18 PM.