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Safety Charles Godfrey returned to full practice Wednesday. (PHOTO: ANDREW MASON / PANTHERS.COM)

CHARLOTTE -- The first step to settling the Panthers' safety situation was getting Charles Godfrey back on the practice field -- which happened Wednesday as he practiced fully for the first time since spraining his ankle against Buffalo on Oct. 25.

But determining whether Godfrey returns to the starting slot? That step was not to be taken Wednesday.

"(This) was his first practice. Get him back acclimated," head coach John Fox said. "The guy has got to get back in, get re-acclimated to the defense, and then you make a decision."

Sherrod Martin has handled the role the last four games, posting three interceptions in that span -- giving him the lead among NFC rookies and placing him second among rookies league-wide behind Buffalo's Jairus Byrd.

"We were back there rotating. You never know," Godfrey said. "My ankle's feeling pretty good right now. Who knows how it will feel tomorrow, or how it will feel after that? So I'm just hoping and praying that everything stays well and that I keep on going forward."

ALSO PRACTICING WEDNESDAY was fullback Brad Hoover, who had been sidelined the last three games because of a sprained ankle. Hoover first ran last Friday and worked out again Monday, but this was his first full practice since October.

The ankle injury and back spasms have combined to sideline Hoover for five of 10 games this year. The back problems have ebbed; Hoover said in his last game against Arizona on Nov. 1 that the back was better than it had been since Week 1.

The ankle, however, will remain troublesome.

"I knew when I (injured) it that it would be one of those things that nags me all year," Hoover said Monday. "But all I need is to be functional to keep the swelling down and not be too painful."

SITTING OUT was strongside linebacker Na'il Diggs, who is nursing a rib injury. That left the Panthers without three of the five linebackers that have started for them this year, with weakside starters Thomas Davis and Landon Johnson on injured reserve.

"I do have two extra days to get rested up," Diggs said. "As far as everybody goes, the couple of extra days was big. Sometimes just to get away from it all and take a mental break for a little bit is great, too. But definitely for me health-wise, this was time well-needed.

When Diggs succumbed to the rib injury against the Dolphins, second-year veteran Dan Connor replaced him. Most of Connor's regular-season experience has come on special teams; his next start will be his first as a professional.

SPLIT SECONDS: Running back Jonathan Stewart once again sat out the Wednesday practice. Defensive end Charles Johnson was also sidelined with a pectoral muscle injury ... Defensive tackle Damione Lewis was limited ... Linebacker Jordan Senn, signed to the 53-man roster on Tuesday, was issued jersey number 57.