Panthers’ Reich gives injury updates on Sanders, Marshall; Young will play vs. Giants

Mike Kaye
·3 min read

The Panthers will be shorthanded on offense when they travel to the Meadowlands to face off against the New York Giants on Friday at MetLife Stadium.

Wednesday, Panthers head coach Frank Reich offered injury updates on several notable offensive players ahead of the second preseason game. The head coach said running back Miles Sanders (groin) and wideout Terrace Marshall (back) are among the players who have already been ruled out for the matchup against the Giants.

Reich said there is a chance that Sanders gets held out for the remainder of the preseason. However, the head coach noted that Sanders is making progress with the groin injury.

Reich said that Marshall’s back injury is still be evaluated. The team will take its time before offering up a timeline or diagnosis on Marshall, as Reich doesn’t want to jump to conclusions.

Running back Miles Sanders (6) during a run drill for the Carolina Panthers.
Running back Miles Sanders (6) during a run drill for the Carolina Panthers.

Along with Sanders and Marshall, fill-in right guard Cade Mays (neck) won’t play against New York. Mays suffered an injury Monday and didn’t practice Tuesday. Reich said that he is optimistic that Mays will be a short-term timeline, but couched that optimism by acknowledging that he isn’t a doctor.

Backup quarterback Andy Dalton, who was a healthy scratch last week, is likely to miss his second consecutive game with a recently sustained back injury. Tuesday, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown said Dalton tweaked his back in practice. Dalton, like Mays, practiced Monday but didn’t return on Tuesday.

Reich said that kicker Eddy Piñeiro is making progress with his groin injury. The kicker wants to return to action, but the team is being cautious after signing him to a long-term deal this offseason. Matthew Wright, who was signed last week, is expected to fill in for Piñeiro against the Giants.

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Offensive tackle Cam Erving (ankle), defensive end Henry Anderson (foot) and wideout Derek Wright (knee) did not practice this week. Reich didn’t provide updates on them during Wednesday’s press conference. Tight end Stephen Sullivan (undisclosed), wideout Damiere Byrd (hamstring) and pass rusher Marquis Haynes (back) have also been sidelined recently.

Bryce Young will play vs. Giants

Quarterback Bryce Young, who made his preseason debut last week, will play against the Giants. Reich said Young will have a similar workload to the one he had against the Jets. The coaching staff will feel out Young’s workload during the game with the hope that he will have early success.

Young was hit three times — including one sack — in three series against the Jets last week. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 21 yards during the preseason opener.

With Dalton likely out of the lineup, second-year quarterback Matt Corral and fourth-string signal-caller Jake Luton will be expected back up Young. Corral played the majority of the quarterback snaps against the Jets, while Luton never saw the field.

Carolina Panthers Bryce Young hands off the ball during practice in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, August 14, 2023.
Carolina Panthers Bryce Young hands off the ball during practice in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday, August 14, 2023.

Right guard turnstile update

With Mays out of action, the Panthers will try to limit the right guard rotation against the Giants. Reich said Wednesday that rookies Chandler Zavala and Nash Jensen could be thrown into the mix after practicing this week.

Both Zavala and Jensen missed the preseason opener against the Jets. Zavala spent the majority of training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with a hamstring injury. Jensen was sidelined for the Jets joint practice and the preseason matchup with an undisclosed injury.

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Justin McCray and Michael Jordan rotated with Mays at right guard during the first-team reps against the Jets. That trio had mediocre results in 11 total plays with the starters, as the entire offensive line unit struggled against the Jets.

Jensen and Zavala could be the next men up, but Reich said he hadn’t spoken with offensive line coach James Campen about the game depth chart at the time of the press conference.

Zavala, who played at NC State, was a fourth-round pick in April. Jensen is an undrafted rookie from North Dakota State.