CHARLOTTE — The Panthers will be without left tackle Ikem Ekwonu for Sunday's critical matchup against the Buccaneers.
Ekwonu is inactive because of the knee injury he played through last week. He was only able to practice on a limited basis on Friday.
Without him, the Panthers will start Yosh Nijman at left tackle, creating their 11th combination of offensive linemen in 15 games.
Nijman started the opener for Ekwonu when he was coming back from his preseason appendectomy, and started two games at right tackle for Taylor Moton this season.
Also inactive for the Panthers are Hunter Renfrow, Trevin Wallace, Demani Richardson, Jared Harrison-Hunte, James Mitchell, and Tershawn Wharton.
They'll start Bobby Brown III and Claudin Cherelus on defense in the places of Wharton (hamstring) and Wallace (shoulder).
They activated linebacker Isaiah Simmons and guard Saahdiq Charles from the practice squad by standard elevation. It's Simmons' third and final elevation and Charles's second of the year.
PANTHERS INACTIVES
WR Hunter Renfrow
LB Trevin Wallace
S Demani Richardson
DT Jared Harrison-Hunte
LT Ikem Ekwonu
TE James Mitchell
DT Tershawn Wharton
BUCCANEERS INACTIVES
QB Connor Bazelak (third QB)
TE Devin Culp
G Elijah Klein
WR Sterling Shepard
DL Elijah Simmons
LB Anthony Walker
S Rashad Wisdom
Check out photos of Panthers players as they arrive to Bank of America Stadium for their Week 16 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
