Carolina Panthers get awful news in latest Rams injury update

The Los Angeles Rams have had no shortage of weapons this year, and the Carolina Panthers learned that firsthand in Week 13. Davante Adams and Puka Nacua are an otherworldly wide receiver duo. The Rams have three solid tight ends, and Kyren Williams is excellent.

The Panthers somehow beat the Rams when they had all those weapons in play, but they've been without Adams for a little while. His absence tilts the scales dramatically, and it would help the Panthers match up.

Unfortunately, all signs point to Adams, who had two touchdowns in Week 13, returning this week.

Davante Adams set to return against Panthers

Nov 30, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) runs after making a catch as Carolina Panthers cornerback Chau Smith-Wade (26) defends during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

The Panthers are not getting any help from the latest injury report. The Rams, according to head coach Sean McVay, expect to have Davante Adams back in the lineup for their second NC trip this season.

Sean McVay said he anticipates getting WR Davante Adams back from his hamstring injury against the Panthers. https://t.co/jwoL0Od15e
— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) January 5, 2026

Adams gave the Panthers fits in Week 13. He had four catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns. He beat the corner on a short in-breaker inside the five-yard line and had a longer touchdown after running past the defense later on.

The Rams are all firepower on offense, even without Adams. They scored 37 last week without him. They dropped 36 on the Seattle Seahawks' vaunted defense, one that held the Panthers to 10 points, without him.

The Panthers did struggle to contain the Rams' pass-catchers that week, the two interceptions notwithstanding, but they were missing a ton of players. Christian Rozeboom, Jaycee Horn, and Tre'von Moehrig were all out.

Those three will be back, and while Horn does not travel (and wouldn't follow Adams anyway, even if he did), the Panthers will have Horn on either Puka Nacua or Adams, with Mike Jackson likely being near the other.

Of course, the zone scheme that Ejiro Evero likes to run might allow Adams and Nacua to find open space anyway, so it might not matter if Horn is on the field. Whatever the case, this is a difficult matchup for the defense.

And with Adams supposedly coming back, it gets a fair bit harder than it could've been, even if the Panthers beat the Rams with Adams once before.

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