When the Carolina Panthers kicked off their 2025 NFL campaign against the Jacksonville Jaguars, all eyes were on the team’s revamped roster and the high hopes that followed a busy offseason. But as the opening whistle sounded on September 7, the Panthers found themselves scrambling to adjust, thanks to a rash of injuries and some key absences that tested the squad’s depth right out of the gate.
Perhaps the most anticipated debut belonged to defensive lineman Turk Wharton, a major offseason acquisition from the Kansas City Chiefs. The Panthers had signed the 27-year-old to a lucrative three-year, $45 million contract, hoping he’d inject some much-needed energy and production into their defensive front. After all, Wharton was coming off a strong 2024 season with Kansas City, where he started a career-high 10 games and racked up 29 combined tackles, 11 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. For Chiefs fans, his departure was bittersweet—a testament to his impact on the field and a reminder of the realities of the NFL’s free agency carousel.
But Wharton’s Panthers debut was anything but smooth. Early in the contest, he left the field after suffering a concussion scare, only to return moments later after being cleared by medical staff. The relief was short-lived. As the game resumed following a weather delay, Wharton’s day took another unfortunate turn. According to Joe Person of The Athletic, he was ruled out with a hamstring injury, a setback that immediately raised concerns among fans and coaches alike. Hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky, and there’s no telling just yet how long Wharton might be sidelined. Before exiting, he managed to tally four combined tackles, showing flashes of the disruptive force Carolina paid for.
Panthers supporters, who had been buzzing about Wharton’s arrival, were understandably deflated. Still, there’s optimism that with proper treatment, he’ll return sooner rather than later. As one Kansas City fan put it, "We saw what Turk could do last season. He’s a hard worker and a game-changer when healthy. Here’s hoping he bounces back quickly." That sentiment was echoed around the league, as both Chiefs and Panthers faithful recognized the tough break for a player eager to prove himself with his new team.
It wasn’t just Wharton who was missing from the Panthers’ lineup, though. The offensive line—already under scrutiny after last year’s struggles—was without its cornerstone left tackle, Ikem Ekwonu. The 2022 first-round pick out of NC State had been listed as doubtful after a recent appendectomy, and head coach Dave Canales noted Ekwonu had been "doing some side work throughout the week," but ultimately, he was ruled inactive prior to kickoff. The Panthers’ official inactive list also included rookie receivers Jimmy Horn Jr. and Dalevon Campbell, tight end James Mitchell, defensive tackle Cam Jackson, and cornerback Damarri Mathis, who was dealing with a knee injury and hadn’t practiced in the days leading up to the game.
That left the Panthers short-handed on both sides of the ball. With Horn and Campbell sidelined, Carolina dressed just five active receivers—Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette, and Hunter Renfrow leading the group. It was a tall order for a team looking to start the season with a bang, especially against a Jaguars squad eager to make a statement of its own.
There was some good news, however. Both starting guards, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, were cleared to play after limited practices due to foot and shoulder/ankle injuries, respectively. Hunt, who joined the Panthers last year after a four-year stint with the Miami Dolphins, had made the Pro Bowl in his first season with Carolina and is now in the second year of a five-year, $100 million contract. His presence, alongside Lewis, offered some much-needed stability for an offensive line in flux.
On defense, veteran lineman A’Shawn Robinson was active despite nursing a groin injury. Robinson, who played 16 games for the Panthers in 2024 and recorded 80 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, brought leadership and experience to a unit that needed it. In July, reflecting on the previous season’s disappointment, Robinson didn’t mince words about missing the playoffs. “Watching everybody else and watching the teams that we played against and watching those two teams that made it to the ‘chip, how we played against those teams, just knowing that we lost those games because we didn’t finish,” Robinson said, per Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com. “We didn’t do things correctly to uphold and to achieve the goals of getting the ‘W.’”
That frustration has fueled Robinson and the rest of the Panthers’ defense as they look to turn the page in 2025. The addition of Wharton was supposed to be a big part of that plan, but for now, the team will have to wait and see how quickly he can recover from his hamstring setback. With so many moving parts and key contributors in and out of the lineup, the Panthers’ coaching staff faces a delicate balancing act in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars weren’t immune to the injury bug either. Their inactive list featured cornerback Montaric Brown (ankle), offensive tackle Wyatt Milum (knee), guard Cole Van Lanen (shoulder), defensive linemen Danny Striggow and B.J. Green Jr., and defensive tackle Maason Smith. Both teams entered the contest with depth tested and game plans adjusted on the fly—a true test of roster resilience right out of the gate.
For Wharton, this wasn’t the debut he’d envisioned after leaving Kansas City for a starting role and a fresh start in Carolina. Yet, his brief time on the field showed why the Panthers were willing to invest so heavily in his talents. With 29 combined tackles, 11 quarterback hits, seven tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks last season, Wharton had proven he could be a disruptive force up front. Now, it’s all about recovery and getting back to making an impact—something both he and the Panthers desperately want.
As Week 1 wrapped up, the Panthers’ depth and determination were put to the test. Injuries to key players like Wharton and Ekwonu forced the coaching staff to improvise, while veterans like Hunt, Lewis, and Robinson stepped up to steady the ship. The road ahead won’t be easy, but if this season opener is any indication, Carolina’s resolve will be measured not just by wins and losses, but by how they weather adversity and rally together.
With the regular season just underway, the Panthers and their fans can only hope for better health and brighter fortunes as the weeks unfold. For now, all eyes are on the injury reports—and on Turk Wharton’s road to recovery—as Carolina looks to keep its playoff hopes alive.
