Ikem

Ekwonu

Starting right guard Robert Hunt is also questionable with an illness as a bug is going around the Panther’s facility. Carolina will be in a bind if both starting linemen are out for Week 16, but players rarely miss games because of illnesses. We fully expect both bigs to suit up versus Arizona.

Things haven’t been great for Thielen as of late. He was limited in the team’s first two practices heading into Week 9 but was a DNP on Friday and ultimately ruled out. Thielen has not practiced ahead of the Panthers’ Week 10 game against the Giants and only has a few days left for the team to activate him from IR before ruling him out for the season. We’ll see where things go in the coming days, but things aren’t looking good for the 34-year-old vet. In addition to Thielen, the Panthers also ruled out OT Ikem Ekwonu (ankle).

Tremble was listed as questionable with a back injury, but won’t be able to go against the New Orleans defense. That should lead to more snaps — and hopefully more targets — for Ja’Tavion Sanders.

The Panthers will be forced to move multiple linemen around with Ekwonu out. Brady Christensen will move from center to left tackle and Cade Mays will start at center. Diontae Johnson is off the roster and Adam Thielen is not expected to play. It’s another nightmare setup for Bryce Young.

Ekwonu was limited in practice throughout the week and looks like a good bet to play on Sunday. That’s good news for Bryce Young, who is coming off the best game of his rookie season but would struggle to keep the ball rolling without his left tackle in the lineup. Cornerback Jaycee Horn is also listed as questionable.

A limited practice to open the week is typically nothing more than maintenance. Hubbard has seen elite usage on the ground in recent weeks and got home with a touchdown versus the Packers in Week 16. He will rank as an RB2 in Week 17 against the Jags. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu was out of practice because of a foot injury.

That was always the expectation when Carolina made Ekwonu the No. 6 overall pick back in April, but Rhule recently said the rookie had “a long way to go.” He has seemingly made progress in the last week and now sits atop the depth chart. Brady Christensen, who had been getting reps at left tackle, will now compete with Michael Jordan at left guard.

Ekwonu has largely been playing inside while second-year lineman Brady Christensen gets the first-team left tackle reps. “He’s got a long way to go,’' Matt Rhule said after practice. “He gave up a huge sack there at the end. I’m not super concerned with the run-blocking, it’s the pass protection he [needs to] continue to develop.” Rookie offensive linemen do not often burst on to the scene, and the early returns on the Ekwonu pick are that he will not buck that trend. At least not at left tackle, anyway.

This comes after team OTAs and minicamp, where Christensen spent substantial time at left tackle despite the team drafting NC State OT Ikem Ekwonu with the No. 6 overall pick last April. There’s a good chance that Ekwonu ultimately ends up as the team’s starting left tackle, but it won’t be surprising if Christensen finds a starting role somewhere along the offensive line. During his time at BYU Christensen was PFF’s highest-graded lineman ever (95.9). He started every game at left tackle in his final season for the Cougars, but is versatile enough to play at right tackle or on the interior.

Ekwonu figures to be given every opportunity to be Carolina’s starting left tackle in 2022. The deal is for four years, $27.56 million, with a fifth-year option. Ekwonu’s pass blocking was somewhat lacking compared to his run blocking, so it’ll be interesting to see just how NFL-ready he is at left tackle. If he struggles early on, things could again be Down Bad for the Panthers and their Sam Darnold/Matt Corral quarterback situation. If he’s an instant hit, the Panthers could be a little friskier than some are giving them credit for.