Panthers place starting guard Brady Christensen on IR, make four practice squad moves
Brady Christensen will miss the rest of the 2023 season with a biceps injury, the Panthers confirmed to The Observer on Wednesday.
Christensen, the team’s starting left guard, joins right guard Austin Corbett (ACL) on the sideline, as Corbett recovers from his knee injury on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Christensen started at left guard in the Panthers’ Week 1 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. According to head coach Frank Reich, Christensen injured his biceps late in the loss but continued to play through the ailment until the end of the game.
Christensen has appeared in every game since he entered the league in 2021 as a third-round pick out of BYU. With Christensen’s season coming to an early end, the Panthers will need to find a new starting left guard.
Fourth-round pick Chandler Zavala made his NFL debut at right guard this past Sunday and played well. However, Zavala, an N.C. State alum, has extensive experience as a left guard from his college days.
Cade Mays, the team’s utility backup lineman, spent the majority of the summer at right guard, working with the first-team offense until Zavala beat him out for the top gig in the preseason. The team also has undrafted rookie Nash Jensen at the position. Jensen played left and right guard this summer in training camp.
Reich said Wednesday that the team’s initial plan is to rotate Mays, Jensen and practice-squad lineman Justin McCray at left guard in practice. The team will then make a decision after watching their performance in the workout.
The team also officially signed former Pro Bowl returner Tarik Cohen (5-6, 191 lbs.) and wideout Michael Strachan (6-5, 225 lbs.) to the practice squad on Wednesday. Cohen worked with special teams coordinator Chris Tabor in Chicago, while Strachan worked with head coach Frank Reich in Indianapolis.
Cohen hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2020 due to multiple leg injuries. Strachan caught five passes for 85 yards over the past two seasons for the Colts.
To make room for Cohen and Strachan, the Panthers placed cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver on the practice squad injured reserve list and released running back Spencer Brown from the practice roster.
This story was originally published September 13, 2023 at 12:07 PM.
