Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers roster moves: DE Chris Wormley and LB Lamar Jackson elevated vs. Titans

Two recognizable names will be making their Carolina debuts on Sunday.

The Panthers elevated defensive end Chris Wormley and linebacker Lamar Jackson from the practice squad ahead of the team’s road contest against the Tennessee Titans at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Wormley was added to the Panthers’ practice squad after Week 1. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound 2017 third-round pick came to Carolina with 31 starts to his name, spending his first three seasons in Baltimore and then his last three in Pittsburgh.

His most productive year came in 2021, when he recorded seven sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games played. He underwent successful surgery to repair a torn ACL in December 2022 and is making his first return to game action since.

Lamar Jackson — no, not the MVP caliber quarterback, the cornerback — will get his shot on the defensive side of the ball against the Titans. This is the result of having a secondary in injured disrepair.

Jaycee Horn hasn’t played since Week 1 (though is now practicing with the team), CJ Henderson is in concussion protocol for his third straight game, and Henderson’s replacement, Dicaprio Bootle, was put on injured reserve earlier this week with a knee injury. Henderson and Horn were downgraded to “out” on Saturday after being “doubtful” earlier in the week.

The Panthers elected not to elevate wide receiver Mike Strachan for a third consecutive week after not being targeted once against the Dallas Cowboys. A new experiment thus begins with the Panthers’ struggling receiver room — outside of veteran wideout Adam Thielen, who’s enjoying a nice renaissance in Carolina.

Panthers injury report for Week 12

Out: TE Hayden Hurst (concussion protocol), DB Jeremy Chinn (quadriceps - IR), OLB Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring - IR), CB Jaycee Horn (hamstring - IR), CB CJ Henderson (concussion - IR).

Questionable: DB Sam Franklin (quadriceps), LB Frankie Luvu (shoulder), OLB Marquis Haynes (back)

This story was originally published November 25, 2023 at 3:23 PM.

Alex Zietlow
The Charlotte Observer
Alex Zietlow writes about the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life for The Charlotte Observer, where he has been a reporter since August 2022. Zietlow’s work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the N.C. and S.C. Press Associations, as well as the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He’s earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage on a variety of topics, from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports. Zietlow previously wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill (S.C.) from 2019-22. Support my work with a digital subscription
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