Chandler Zavala to start at right guard
After missing the Saints game with an elbow injury picked up early against the Packers, Chandler Zavala will return to the starting lineup this week.
Canales referred to leaving the job open for competition after Austin Corbett started there last week.
"When I look at these opportunities, I see these things as competitions that happen where your focus can't be on competing against your teammate, but it is about opportunity, and who can make the most out of it," Canales said. "And so I'm excited for Chandler to get in there and see what he can bring us, you know, in the run game and the pass game."
With Zavala back, the Panthers will have the rare repeat lineup on the field, as this is the group they started with in Weeks 3 and 4 (with Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle, Damien Lewis at left guard, Cade Mays at center, and Taylor Moton at right tackle).
They will have used eight different starting groups in 11 games when that quintet takes the field.
Corbett has started at both guard spots since starting the first two weeks at center before his stint on IR.
"Absolutely, he's invaluable to what we're doing," Canales said of Corbett. "Gives us flexibility inside if somebody does have to come out for whatever reason, he's got a lot of flexibility along the inside of the line."