The Carolina Panthers ' mounting injury problems have now reached the offensive line.
Starting left guard Damien Lewis is expected to miss "a few weeks" because of a UCL injury in his elbow, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported on September 29.
Medical evaluations are still ongoing, according to Garafolo, but Lewis is expected to miss Carolina's Week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions . The Panthers then have a conveniently timed bye in Week 5, potentially limiting Lewis' absence to one game if his recovery goes well.
Lewis initially injured the elbow during Carolina's 21-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns on September 27. He briefly left the game and was replaced by Corey Bullock before returning with a large brace on the injured arm. The Panthers noted after the game that Lewis was clearly bothered by the elbow despite finishing the contest.
The injury comes at a particularly difficult time for Carolina. Cornerback Jaycee Horn suffered a significant quad injury against Cleveland, while wide receiver Jalen Coker and cornerback Mike Jackson also left the game with injuries.
There is one potentially encouraging element to Lewis' diagnosis: this is not his first experience dealing with a UCL injury in his elbow.
Lewis suffered a UCL injury during the 2024 season after hurting his elbow against the Las Vegas Raiders . At the time, Lewis said he intended to manage the pain and attempt to play through the injury with a brace.
"It's something I have to play with and help the team win games and manage the pain during the season," Lewis said in September 2024.
Lewis ultimately missed Carolina's following game against the Cincinnati Bengals but returned thereafter.
The Panthers have not yet said whether the current injury involves the same elbow issue or represents a new injury, so the similarities between the two situations should not be taken as an indication of Lewis' eventual recovery timetable.
Carolina appeared to anticipate the need for additional depth before the full extent of Lewis' injury became public.
The Panthers signed veteran guard Saahdiq Charles to their practice squad on September 28, one day after Lewis was injured. Charles spent time with Carolina last season, appearing in two games, and was also with the team during the 2026 offseason before being released with an injury settlement in August.
Bullock replaced Lewis when he exited against Cleveland, although the Panthers' official depth chart does not currently list a dedicated No. 2 left guard behind Lewis. Bullock is listed as the backup to right guard Robert Hunt .
Carolina also has Chandler Zavala and Charles on the practice squad, giving the team several options if Lewis cannot return immediately.
Lewis has been a major part of Carolina's attempt to stabilize the offensive line around quarterback Bryce Young .
The Panthers signed the former Seattle Seahawks guard to a four-year, $53 million contract in March 2024. The deal included $26.2 million guaranteed.
Carolina made the move as part of a massive investment in its interior offensive line, also signing Hunt to a five-year, $100 million contract that offseason.
Lewis has remained entrenched as Carolina's starting left guard, making his potential absence another challenge for an offense already dealing with substantial injury issues entering its "Sunday Night Football" matchup against Detroit.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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