The Panthers’ offensive line took a hit when guard Brady Christensen suffered an Achilles injury in a loss to the Bills in Week 8. While Christensen may miss the rest of the season, the Panthers could welcome back guard Chandler Zavala in the next three weeks. The Panthers opened Zavala’s practice window on Wednesday, giving them 21 days to activate him from IR.
Zavala has mostly served as a backup in Carolina since the team used a fourth-round pick on the former NC State blocker in 2023. He opened this season in a reserve role before right guard Robert Hunt tore his left biceps in Week 2. With Hunt on IR, Zavala started back-to-back games. However, Hunt sustained a knee injury in Week 4, forcing him to join Hunt on the shelf.
The Panthers are dealing with other injuries along their line, including to center Cade Mays (ankle) and right tackle Taylor Moton (knee). It’s unclear if they’ll play this Sunday against the Packers and their Micah Parsons-led defensive front. Likewise, Zavala may not be ready for an immediate return to the lineup. Alongside Damien Lewis, the Panthers’ starting left guard, Austin Corbett, Jake Curhan, and Nick Samac could all be candidates to fill in the interior of a banged-up line this week.
Regardless of who’s doing the blocking in Week 9, it appears running back Rico Dowdle will take on a larger role. With Dowdle off to an excellent start this year, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said the Panthers are considering a heavier workload for him (via David Newton of ESPN).
Previously with the Cowboys, Dowdle signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last offseason to work behind starter Chuba Hubbard. While Dowdle was a 1,000-yard rusher last year, he has found another gear this season. The 27-year-old has already piled up 605 yards on 106 carries (5.7 YPC). He combined for a franchise-record 473 total yards (389 rushing, 84 receiving) during wins in Weeks 5 and 6. Hubbard missed those games with a calf injury.
Dowdle has seen less action since Hubbard returned, though he still combined for a strong 133 yards on 25 rushes during the Panthers’ previous two games. Hubbard, on the other hand, totaled just 65 yards on 26 carries in that same stretch. The 26-year-old has averaged an underwhelming 3.6 yards on 79 carries this season.
Although Hubbard is seemingly in line for fewer touches, the Panthers “don’t want to move” him before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, Joseph Person of The Athletic writes. With Hubbard in the early stages of an 1,195-yard, 10-touchdown rushing season in 2024, the Panthers signed him to a four-year, $33.2MM extension last November. He’s earning a $4MM guaranteed salary this year and has another $4.5MM guaranteed in 2026.
A talent evaluator with another team told Person that it may be hard for the Panthers to find someone to take Hubbard’s contract while also surrendering a draft pick to acquire him. With Hubbard an important part of the Panthers’ culture, they’re content to keep him as a complement to Dowdle. If Dowdle leaves as a free agent in the offseason, Hubbard could reclaim the No. 1 role in 2026.