Panthers coach Dave Canales revealed following yesterday’s loss that Taylor Moton would be out “for a while.” That absence will ultimately span the rest of the season, as the lineman is set to undergo season-ending ankle surgery, per Joe Person of The Athletic.
Moton indeed suffered a fractured fibula, as reported yesterday. However, ESPN’s Mike Kaye adds that the veteran’s impending surgery will be to repair ligaments in the ankle.
“We’re all hurt for [Moton],” Canales said (via Kaye). “But we know what he represents and how he battled to get back out there.”
It’s a tough development for the 32-year-old, and it means the right tackle’s 2026 campaign ends after only two appearances. Moton missed the first four weeks of the season while recovering from blood clots. Before this, the long-time Panther had been remarkably healthy, missing only four games through his first nine seasons in the NFL.
First-round pick Monroe Freeling will return to the starting lineup with Moton now out for the season. The 19th-overall pick in this year’s draft started the first four games of the year while filling in for the veteran. This also means Rasheed Walker will continue as the LT, even following a dismal Week 7 performance where he was credited with three sacks allowed (per Kaye).
There’s hope that Ikem Ekwonu will eventually return to that position. However, Canales didn’t have a definitive update on the veteran, who hasn’t appeared yet this season while recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon suffered during last year’s playoffs.
“Every week seems like good milestones — good progression,” Canales said (via Kaye). “I can’t tell you exactly how close that is, how far that is, but I know that he’s trending in the right direction, getting into some more individual drills, where he can really start to load and anchor and all those things. But it’s got to get to a point where we feel really comfortable about sending somebody at him full speed and do all that. We’re not quite there yet.”
The Panthers announced this evening that linebacker Nick Hampton will be signed to the 53-man squad to take Moton’s roster spot. The former Rams draft pick made his team debut yesterday, collecting five tackles while appearing in 22 defensive snaps.