INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Panthers will again be without one of their defensive leaders Sunday, and they'll only have two quarterbacks in uniform.
Linebacker Frankie Luvu is inactive for today's game against the Rams, his second straight week out of the lineup.
Luvu was the team's leading tackler after four games, and had created defensive touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. But he also played 277 defensive snaps in the first four games, which was more than he had in either of the previous three seasons. As such, the wear and tear of becoming a full-time player appeared to catch up to him.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is also inactive for the Panthers Sunday, after he made a late run at trying to be in uniform. He worked out in Charlotte on Friday and was hoping to be active, but he still needs more time to recover from last week's ankle injury.
PJ Walker was going to start anyway, but practice squad quarterback Jacob Eason (elevated to the active roster Saturday) will now be the backup.
Walker is 2-0 as a starter with the Panthers, beating the Lions in 2020 and taking the first snap, and completing 22-of-29 passes against Arizona last year.
The rest of the inactive list Sunday includes cornerback Jaycee Horn (who did not make the trip as he recovers from last week's rib injury), wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon, offensive lineman Cade Mays, and defensive end Amaré Barno.
PANTHERS INACTIVES
QB Baker Mayfield
CB Jaycee Horn
WR Laviska Shenault
LB Frankie Luvu
DL Daviyon Nixon
OL Cade Mays
DE Amare Barno
View photos of the Panthers arriving at SoFi Stadium for the Week 6 matchup against the Rams, presented by On Location Experiences.
LB - Shaq Thompson
Al Holcomb
S - Jeremy Chinn
Paul Pasqualoni
LB - Damien Wilson
G - Austin Corbett
RB - Chuba Hubbard
RB - Chuba Hubbard
RB - D'Onta Foreman
TE - Tommy Tremble
T - Cameron Erving
T - Cameron Erving
WR - DJ Moore
WR - Terrace Marshall Jr.
S - Sam Franklin Jr.
S - Juston Burris
DT - Phil Hoskins
DE - Henry Anderson
T - Brady Christensen
T - Ikem Ekwonu
T - Ikem Ekwonu
TE - Stephen Sullivan
TE - Giovanni Ricci
S - Xavier Woods
DE - Yetur Gross-Matos
LB - Arron Mosby
K - Eddy Piñeiro
DE - Amaré Barno
QB - P.J. Walker
TE - Ian Thomas
TE - Ian Thomas
DT - Daviyon Nixon
LB - Brandon Smith
Steve Wilks
DT - Derrick Brown
CB - Donte Jackson
CB - Donte Jackson
RB - Christian McCaffrey
DT - Marquan McCall
CB - Keith Taylor Jr.
LB - Shaq Thompson
LB - Frankie Luvu
QB - Jacob Eason
LB - Damien Wilson
G - Austin Corbett
RB - D'Onta Foreman
TE - Tommy Tremble
T - Cameron Erving
WR - DJ Moore
WR - Terrace Marshall Jr.
S - Juston Burris
DT - Phil Hoskins
T - Brady Christensen
T - Ikem Ekwonu
TE - Stephen Sullivan
LB - Arron Mosby
DE - Amare Barno
QB - P.J. Walker
TE - Ian Thomas
DT - 54 - Daviyon Nixon
WR - Laviska Shenault Jr.
S - Sam Franklin
LB - Cory Littleton
CB - C.J. Henderson
WR - Shi Smith
DE - Brian Burns
RB - Keith Taylor
WR - Andre Roberts
S - Sean Chandler
WR - Robbie Anderson
DB - Myles Hartsfield
