Panthers injury updates: Defense takes 2 more hits going into Week 3

The Panthers have suffered a huge blow already.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1), center, rushes for yards against Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott (21), left, and safety Tre'von Moehrig (7) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Panthers 26-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers are already dealing with quite a few injuries. Austin Corbett, Jalen Coker, and Robert Hunt (season-ending) are already on IR. This week, a few other Panthers have come down with injuries, putting their status for Sunday in doubt.

Much of this has transpired on the defensive side of the ball. The offense got hit earlier in the week, but now it's looking like the other side of the ball is going to have its fair share of missing players, too.

Panthers Week 3 injury report

Sep 14, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette (17) reaches for the ball during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The earlier injury report wasn't good, and it has not really improved much since then.

- DNP - DL Bobby Brown (knee) DNP
- OLB Pat Jones (hamstring) DNP
- S Tre'von Moehrig (illness) DNP
- DL Turk Wharton (hamstring) DNP
- WR Xavier Legette (hamstring) Limited

The rest of Panthers' injury report:
DNP - DL Bobby Brown (knee), OLB Pat Jones (hamstring), S Tre'von Moehrig (illness), DL Turk Wharton (hamstring)
Limited - WR Xavier Legette (hamstring)

— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 18, 2025

The defense, which has been better but still not good this year, is already thin. Turk Wharton is highly unlikely to play after missing last week's action. But losing Pat Jones, a starting edge, and Tre'von Moehrig, a starting safety, would be terrible.

Bobby Brown's absence also hurts since Wharton is still out. The silver lining here is that if Jones and Moehrig are out, then rookies Princely Umanmielen, Nic Scourton (edges), and Lathan Ransom (safety) would have to play more. Cam'ron Jackson might even play in Wharton and Brown's absence if they can't go.

The other silver lining is addition by subtraction. Xavier Legette has been positively dreadful this season, and his absence might allow Jimmy Horn Jr. to suit up, and it'll free up targets for Hunter Renfrow and Tetairoa McMillan.

It might also do him some good to sit back and take some time to recalibrate. Even last year, Legette wasn't this bad, so perhaps like his QB in 2024, he needs a moment on the bench to clear his head and come back focused and better than ever.

Given that he is practicing, Legette is probably going to play. The jury is still out on the others, with Wharton being an almost guaranteed inactive on Sunday in the home opener. This is a team without a win, and it'll likely be without a few impact players while searching for that win.

Things have not gone according to plan whatsoever this year, and these new injuries are just the latest example of that. Sadly, there doesn't appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel with Bijan Robinson and the Falcons waiting.