Carolina Panthers activate key free agent signing, bringing more help to offensive line
The Carolina Panthers’ offensive line got some good news Thursday evening.
The team has activated swing tackle Yosh Nijman from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, according to the Panthers, after passing his physical with team doctors Thursday after practice. The move is a good sign for the Panthers as well as for Nijman — the experienced OL who signed with the Panthers in March but who has been sidelined for much of his tenure with a leg injury.
Nijman missed all the on-field action during the Panthers’ offseason program as well as training camp. He started training camp on the PUP list and could’ve been activated at any time. The 6-foot-7, 314 pound tackle even got some reps after Thursday’s practice — something head coach Dave Canales addressed later to reporters.
“Really encouraged by his movement, his athleticism, his power — all of the things we saw and the reasons he’s here,” Canales said. “He looks like he’s trending in the right direction. But now it’s a matter of volume. Just continuing to push the volume of what he can handle, so I was really excited. During special teams period, I walked over there, and (OL coach) Joe Gilbert’s working with him, and he’s punching the bag. Joe had a great report after practice about where he’s at.”
Nijman has plenty of football under his proverbial belt. He’s appeared in 67 games with 22 starts in his four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, the team that signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2019 after a four-year career at Virginia Tech.
He’ll provide some needed offensive line depth for a Panthers team that is a bit thin on the outside. The OL — a highly scrutinized group a year ago — has seen some heavy maneuvering this offseason, what with the free-agent additions of guard Damien Lewis out of Seattle and guard Robert Hunt out of Miami and the move of Austin Corbett from right guard to center. But the depth behind Taylor Moton (right tackle) and Ickey Ekwonu (left tackle) is why Nijman was brought in.
It’s unclear if Nijman will be ready to play in the Panthers’ preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday afternoon — a game in which Canales said Thursday he “hopes” his starters will get some playing time in.
Panthers pass rushers D.J. Wonnum (quad) and Amare Barno (knee) are still on the PUP list. Rookie running back and second-round draft pick Jonathon Brooks is still on the non-football injury list, too.
This story was originally published August 22, 2024 at 8:35 PM.
