The Carolina Panthers have made several roster changes ahead of their upcoming game, placing guard Chandler Zavala on injured reserve (IR) for the second time this season due to a calf injury. Zavala previously went on IR in Week 5 with a knee injury but returned to start three more games before being sidelined again after Monday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
This marks the fifth time a Panthers offensive lineman has been placed on IR this year. Robert Hunt and Austin Corbett were put on IR after Week 2, while Brady Christensen was added in Week 9. Corbett was activated in Week 7 and has played the last six weeks, starting four games. The team is keeping open the possibility of Hunt returning after the bye week. According to league rules, players can return from IR twice in a season, but each activation counts toward an eight-player limit.
So far, four players have been activated from IR: LaBryan Ray, Jalen Coker, Chandler Zavala, and Austin Corbett.
To fill Zavala’s spot on the active roster, the Panthers signed cornerback Kalen King from their practice squad. King was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2024 draft out of Penn State and spent his rookie year on their practice squad. After being released during final cuts this year, he joined Carolina’s practice squad on August 28.
King joins a secondary that has lost rookie cornerback Corey Thornton for the season due to a broken fibula and Jaycee Horn to a concussion sustained during the game against San Francisco. Horn will not play this week. Earlier this week, Carolina also signed Robert Rochell off the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. The team will be without safety Tre’von Moehrig due to suspension for their game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Additionally, guards Saahdiq Charles and linebacker Isaiah Simmons were elevated from the practice squad by standard elevation procedures. Charles joined Carolina’s practice squad on October 1 following Zavala’s first stint on IR and brings experience from previous tenures with Washington and Dallas, having played in 35 games with 18 starts.
With these changes, Carolina is set to start its tenth different offensive line combination in thirteen games this season. Jake Curhan will replace Zavala at right guard; Charles becomes one of eight active linemen alongside Nick Samac and Yosh Nijman.
Isaiah Simmons provides additional depth for defense and special teams. A former No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 draft—selected one spot after Derrick Brown—Simmons has appeared in 84 games with 42 starts across stints with Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers.
