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For the first time in a decade, the Carolina Panthers return to the top of the NFC South. Their breakthrough season ended in January with a thriller at home, where they pushed Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams to the brink.
After picking up Bryce Young’s fifth-year option and adding key pieces to the team, the Panthers enter 2026 with higher expectations as the team aims for a second straight division title. But Carolina’s offensive line suffered another blow Tuesday, creating the latest test for a unit tasked with protecting the former No. 1 overall pick.
Taylor Moton, the Panthers’ veteran right starter, will be sidelined when the regular season begins in September. Moton learned in late June that doctors had discovered a blood clot in his left lung. The Panthers confirmed on Tuesday that the 31-year-old would miss the start of the season.
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Taylor Moton #72 of the Carolina Panthers attends an NFL game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois on November 9, 2023. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
Moton’s setback comes as starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is still recovering from a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee. Ekwonu was injured during the Panthers’ playoff game.
Ekwonu underwent an emergency appendectomy last August.
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Moton was moved to the non-football injury list, joining two-time Pro Bowl defensive back Jaycee Horn.
The cornerback missed a Week 12 game against the San Francisco 49ers last season, but finished the year with 16 appearances. Horn landed on the non-football injury list this week after cutting his foot while running, according to the Panthers.
Jaycee Horn (8) of the Carolina Panthers looks on during the first half of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium on January 10, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
After the diagnosis, Moton was put on blood thinners and the team said he responded well to the treatment. Carolina’s medical staff continues to monitor the veteran lineman daily.
The Panthers had already moved to protect on the left side, signing veteran tackle Rasheed Walker in March as a potential replacement for Ekwonu. Moton’s absence could now create an opening on the right side for Monroe Freeling, the offensive tackle selected by Carolina with the No. 18 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Panthers wasted no time addressing the left side of the offensive line, signing Rasheed Walker in March as insurance for Ekwonu. The following month, Carolina doubled down by selecting Monroe Freeling in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton (72) during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on November 24, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)
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The Panthers selected Moton in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan. He spent all nine seasons of his NFL career with Carolina.
