CHARLOTTE — There are things that can frustrate a coach that are beyond their control, like injuries.
Then there are things that are very much in your control, like penalties, which chafe you in a different way.
But after seven games and a number of issues, great and small, the Panthers are still looking for consistency up front. That's been an acute problem in recent weeks, as they've allowed 11 sacks in the last two games. But throughout the season, they've battled several problems.
"I mean, obviously with offensive line, it's playing next to the guy," Panthers offensive line coach Joe Gilbert said Sunday. "When we've had the injuries we've had, that is a challenge to get the number of reps, the things in practice. At the end of the day, we've got to get the guys comfortable, but that's been the biggest challenge, just getting guys comfortable working with one another when it's been injury after that, a new guy in, new guy out."
The Panthers have had years with more combinations, because left tackle Rasheed Walker, center Luke Fortner, and right guard Robert Hunt have all started all seven games.
But the Panthers also started the season without incumbent tackles Ikem Ekwonu and
Taylor Moton, and when Moton returned from the blood clots diagnosed during the summer, he lasted six quarters before he was lost for the rest of the season to a broken leg. And Ekwonu might be several more weeks from being able to return from the torn patellar tendon suffered during the playoffs in January.
So if Hunt hasn't had the kind of consistent start he's had previously, at least one component is going from Moton to rookie Monroe Freeling.
"I think part of it goes to working with a young guy with Monroe and getting that comfortability," Gilbert said. "When you're playing with T-Mo, a 10-year vet, playing next to him back when they were both rolling in '24 together, that's big. That's a 10-year vet to a rookie; there's a different comfort level in there.
"And that's coming along, and I think that the last couple of weeks, I think Rob has improved."
Of course, Hunt's also been involved in some of their other big issue up front: the number of penalties. Whether it was a couple of high-profile illegal downfield calls, or among the issues taking numbers off the board, the number of penalties has multiple effects.
Run game coordinator Harold Goodwin (who works with the interior linemen as Gilbert concentrates on the tackles) pointed to penalties that have taken over 200 rushing yards away (including 51 against Atlanta, including 17 and 18-yarders by Chuba Hubbard).
"I felt like some of the explosive runs we had this year, all of a sudden you look down and that little thing's on the ground, you're pissed," Goodwin admitted. "Yeah, it's been really frustrating because, run-game-wise, you think about it, where we would be in the league if we had those yards? I think right now, I think Chuba's averaging what, 4.6, 4.7 a tote? Where would he really be if we could have those yards back and where we'd be overall from a run game total in the league if we had those yards?"
When asked how he coaches that, Goodwin develops the same stern face his players can see on the sidelines.
"Stop holding, right? Stop holding," he said. "Put your hands inside. The guy's pulling away, let him go. And then we just got to be smarter with it from a technique standpoint. Got to keep coaching the guys with the fundamentals, and we can't have it. They know it hurts us in the long run.
"It puts Brad (Idzik) in a bad position when we have penalties. So now you're 1st and 15 or second-and-long; we can't do that. We've got to stay ahead of the chains."
Some of these problems are the things you can only do so much about during the season (you can't rush a rehab like Ekwonu's), but there are at least some small steps. While Damien Lewis was still out of practice after missing last week, they at least got Corey Bullock and Torricelli Simpkins III back to full participation, offering some more options.
And they also opened the practice window for versatile lineman Brady Christensen, who has practiced fully this week as they determine whether to activate him. Christensen has started at all five line positions for the Panthers (and been their big tight end as an extra blocker, though he hasn't caught a pass yet), and Goodwin admitted he looks forward to being able to use him again.
"He loves football. He's super smart, and he's athletic, and he's willing to do anything for the team," Goodwin said of Christensen. That's the biggest thing for me. He's all about the team. He wants to be out there. He's getting back out there.
"We just love having him, and for me it's kind of like a security blanket. He's like my teddy bear. If I need him, I can go hug on him and put him here, there, or there, and I know he's going to do a hell of a job. So it's great to have him in the room. Hopefully we get him back out on the field."
Whether it's getting guys healthy, or simply playing more disciplined football, however, the coaches who work with those linemen (and the Panthers have staffed that group in a way that emphasizes its importance), know that one thing is clear.
"I mean, the bottom line is it wasn't good enough," Gilbert said of the Packers game, in which Bryce Young was sacked six times. "And it starts with us, it starts with myself, it starts with Goody. We put it on ourselves first, but at the same time we all have ownership of this, and like when I do the protection meetings with the running backs, the O-line and Bryce, every one of us had a different role in that, you know what I mean? It's the O-line, it's the running backs, and it's Bryce too.
"So we all know that, and we know we've got to get better; it hasn't been good enough."
Check out the best shots of Thursday's practice as the Panthers' prepare for their Week 9 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Center Sam Hecht is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson (33) and linebacker Devin Lloyd are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Linebacker Devin Lloyd is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Aaron Hall is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Bobby Brown III and Pete Hansen are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Lee Hunter is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton #98 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive Tackle Keith Cooper Jr. (96) is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Casey Washington #85 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Safety Tre'von Moehrig is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver John Metchie III is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Guard Torricelli Simpkins III is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Safety Zakee Wheatley and safety Tre'von Moehrig are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Outside linebacker Patrick Jones II and Keith Cooper Jr. are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive Tackle Keith Cooper Jr. (96) is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive Tackle Keith Cooper Jr. (96) is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Lee Hunter and defensive tackle Bobby Brown III are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle TeRah Edwards and Defensive Tackle Keith Cooper Jr. (96) are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Derrick Brown is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Derrick Brown is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Defensive tackle Bobby Brown III is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Running back Anthony Tyus III is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Bernie Parmelee is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Running back Trevor Etienne is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Running back Trevor Etienne and running back Anthony Tyus III are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Casey Washington is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Cornerback Chau Smith-Wade is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Quarterback Bryce Young is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Running back AJ Dillon #28 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 and running back AJ Dillon are seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Casey Washington is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Tight end Darren Waller is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Joe Gilbert is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Running back Chuba Hubbard is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver David Moore is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan #4 is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
Running back Trevor Etienne is seen during Carolina Panthers practice Thursday, Nov 5, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
