Panthers Inactives vs. Buccaneers: Another Starter Down as Injuries Keep Piling Up

The Panthers haven't had much luck staying healthy this season, and Sunday against Tampa Bay isn't going to be any different.

Carolina already knew it would be without Jaelan Phillips after he aggravated his hamstring against Philadelphia. Thomas Incoom injured his calf in the same game and was placed on injured reserve Saturday, and the Panthers are still waiting on starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson to get back.

It seems like every week Carolina gets somebody back and loses somebody else.

Panthers inactives against Tampa Bay

The Panthers announced seven inactive players before Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff.

TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
OLB Jaelan Phillips
QB Haynes King (emergency third quarterback)
RB AJ Dillon
C Sam Hecht
OT Stone Forsythe
DT TeRah Edwards

Phillips is obviously the big one here. He's been starting on the outside, and with him out, Princely Umanmielen is expected to get the start opposite Patrick Jones II. Carolina also elevated Nick Hampton from the practice squad Saturday to give the Panthers another option on the edge.

That's a group I'm going to be watching against Baker Mayfield. He's back after missing three games with a thumb injury, but his return shouldn't change what Carolina expects from this game. The last thing the Panthers want is to let him get comfortable early.

Incoom is a little different. He hasn't played much on defense, but he's been a big part of Carolina's special teams. The Panthers activated Bam Martin-Scott from injured reserve Saturday, and that's where he should be able to help right away.

Carolina is still trying to piece things together

Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Jaelan Phillips (5) reacts after a sack in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Panthers have already spent the last few weeks without Horn and Jackson after both starting cornerbacks went down in Week 3. Horn is working his way back from a significant quad injury, while Jackson had surgery for a groin injury.

Both remain on injured reserve, but Dave Canales had some encouraging news Friday. He said Horn is ahead of some of the normal timelines for his injury, while Jackson has also started picking up his speed as he works his way back.

That's good news for later. It doesn't help much Sunday.

Robert Rochell was elevated from the practice squad again this week, so Carolina is still having to make things work in the secondary without its two starters. Now Phillips is out, too, which takes another starter away from a defense that's actually been playing some pretty good football lately.

Carolina held Philadelphia to 222 total yards and just 35 on the ground last week. The Panthers have now held two straight opponents under 50 rushing yards, and they've managed to do that while already missing Horn and Jackson.

If there's some good news Sunday, it's Monroe Freeling.

The rookie tackle is active after missing last week's game with a knee injury. He practiced fully all week but was still listed as questionable heading into Sunday. With Stone Forsythe inactive, having Freeling back gives Carolina another option behind Rasheed Walker and Taylor Moton.

Sam Hecht is also inactive, so the Panthers will have Torricelli Simpkins III and Corey Bullock available behind Austin Corbett at center. Both can snap the ball if something happens and Carolina has to shuffle the offensive line again.

Hopefully it doesn't come to that. The Panthers have done enough shuffling already.

They've still managed to win three of their last four, which might be the biggest thing to take away from all of this. Carolina hasn't had the lineup it wants for a while now, but so far it hasn't stopped the Panthers from finding ways to win.

There's more I'd like to see from Carolina against Tampa Bay than just another win, but considering how much shuffling this roster has already done, getting to 4-2 would be a pretty good place to start.

Sunday they'll have to find another way to get it done.

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