CHARLOTTE — The Panthers have reached Week 11, and there are three games to go before a hard-earned bye.

So for head coach Dave Canales, Wednesday was about making sure a couple of key players got the time they needed.

Defensive tackle Derrick Brown was a limited participant in practice with a knee issue, and running back Rico Dowdle did not participate with a quad issue.

Canales said with Brown, it was the same knee but a different situation to last year's injury.

"This is just something that came up and we decided to just limit him a little bit today, just to try to get him back on track," Canales said of his defensive captain. "He'll be ready to practice tomorrow."

For Dowdle, it's another day of recovery, to make sure he's also ready to go later in the week. Last week, he took Wednesday off, was limited on Thursday, and practiced fully on Friday.

"Rico's just dealing with the quad, so we just decided to give him the day off, treat it, and just take him off his feet today a little bit," Canales said. "The plan is to get him back out there tomorrow. We'll evaluate him in the morning, but the plan is to get him out there, to practice to take some reps and get himself going."

Dowdle was held to just 53 rushing yards last week, but he's still third in the NFL and leading the NFC with 788 rushing yards, with 705 of them coming since Week 5.

Canales said rookie safety Lathan Ransom was recovering from a surgical procedure on his hand Tuesday, and that they'd monitor him throughout the week to see when they could get him back on the field.

Canales pleased with response he saw in practice

After Sunday's loss to the Saints, a number of players mentioned last week's practices not being up to their standard. But Canales said he saw no evidence of that on Wednesday.

"It was an excellent response, really all day in the building," he said. "There's a sense of focus and this appreciation that we have to approach every single game the same way — this is a championship opportunity. It's not a lie, it's not selling something, it's true. All these games, especially when you play your division opponents, these are important opportunities for us as we continue to set up our season. You hate to look back and say Wow, we missed an opportunity because we didn't play our best, and it always comes down to the same things. It's about fundamental execution. It's about making our blocks, making our tackles, having great technique, and doing the right thing, play in and play out. It's going to always come back to that, and the group certainly understands that we have a process that we believe in, and the goal is to get back on that, and today was a good step in that direction."

Canales also responded to remarks made by rookie outside linebacker Nic Scourton, who said it appeared they might have taken the Saints lightly last week.

Canales said he's been impressed with both the play (team-high 3.0. sacks) and approach of the 21-year-old, but said he'd prefer those comments stay in-house.

"It's a learning opportunity to say, OK, for our guys, speak for your own performance," Canales said. "If you want to make a general comment about, hey, when we lose, we're upset, we're disappointed. But the specific part of it that we can do a better job of just keeping those things within us and the stuff that we talk about."

Chuba Hubbard ready if needed, and looking stronger

Veteran running back Chuba Hubbard hasn't gotten many chances since Dowdle took over the lead role in the backfield, but Canales continues to trust the longtime leader.

Hubbard has had eight rushing attempts since Dowdle took the starting job in Week 8. He had three carries for 14 yards Sunday, but was on the field for several key situations, since he's a capable blocker on passing downs.

Canales said the plan was to continue to use Dowdle the same way, but he had no hesitation going to Hubbard, who missed two games with a calf strain, then split time with Dowdle for two games.

"Chuba got in there when he had to come out a little bit in the game and ran hard, had some really nice runs," Canales said. "It's a good situation for us, a great opportunity for us to have both guys that I really trust to be able to do that.

"Chuba gained his footing again just over the last couple of games, kind of showing his burst. He certainly is looking stronger and stronger, and that's attributed to his hard work and the way that he attacks taking care of his body and getting himself back to where he wants to be. So, really just tip my cap to Chuba for the way he's attacked it, and that's the way he attacks everything, and you know he'll have his opportunities in there, and I expect him to continue to contribute."

Dan Morgan's history a benefit for Panthers

When Dan Morgan was named general manager in early 2024, he brought an extensive resume that included years in the front office and on the field. The former helps him navigate the day-to-day aspects of running a team and building a roster. The latter has become valuable for Canales, as he does his part to build this team as well.

"Dan is an incredible resource," Canales said Wednesday. "Especially because he's been a captain, he's been a leader, he's been in the middle of this, and so there's an expectation that he had for his teammates."

Morgan—who the Panthers drafted in the first round of the 2001 draft—spent seven seasons in Carolina, making the All-Rookie team in 2001, Pro Bowl in 2004, and helped lead the charge for a team that went to Super Bowl XXXVIII.

It's the kind of experience that becomes a lifeline for Canales.

"When he sees things, when he reflects on and I go and we sit down and talk, I can always kind of pick that part of his brain to say, 'What does this feel like to you, being on the really good teams that you've been on over the course of your career, or dealing with injuries, dealing with off field issues,' all that," Canales continued. "He's lived a lot of these things, and so he's an amazing resource that way and has a really positive approach about it, too, about finding solutions to things versus trying to find excuses for why things happen.

"He's always good about finding solutions, 'OK, so how do we go about this, how do we attack this issue?'"

Plan at right guard is to foster competition

Chandler Zavala was back on the practice field this week, after missing Sunday's Week 10 matchup with an elbow injury. It has been a roller coaster of a season for the guard, who was plugged in as a starter after Robert Hunt's injury in Week 2, before suffering his own injury in Week 4. He returned for the Week 9 game against the Packers, but played only 11 snaps before the elbow injury sidelined him. Austin Corbett started there last week.

Now, Zavala's healthy again and ready to slot back into the role. But for now, Canales is content to keep it an open competition.

"We're working through that right now," Canales said Wednesday of the plan for the starter at the position. "We have some good options, both guys that I really trust, and, you know, this is, for me, it's like another opportunity for competition. I think it brings out the best in the guys, so we're working through that."