SerpApi.Org
The offensive outlook for the Carolina Panthers changed in a big way on Tuesday.
As announced by the team this afternoon, starting right tackle Taylor Moton has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list right before the start of training camp. Per Darin Gantt of Panthers.com, the soon-to-be 31-year-old veteran was diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung in late June, and is expected to miss time into the regular season.
Thankfully, Moton—per Gantt—is responding well to treatment and is expected to return at some point in 2026. But his absence, from a pure football perspective, will leave yet another huge void on the offensive line.
Moton will now hit the shelf alongside starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who is still recovering from the torn patellar tendon he sustained back in January. Like Moton, Ekwonu could be on track to rejoin the active roster this year.
But with camp set to begin later this week, who will serve as the bookends of the trench moving forward?
Although the coming days will likely provide some answers from general manager Dan Morgan and/or head coach Dave Canales, it's fair to already speculate that two of their offseason additions—free-agent signee Rasheed Walker and first-round pick Monroe Freeling—are the favorites for those jobs.
Walker, who took first-team reps over Freeling at left tackle during spring workouts, may be more primed for the blindside. The fifth-year veteran was a three-year starter as a left tackle for the Green Bay Packers—and a rather reliable one at that.
Freeling, who was set to battle Walker for that role, may now have to flip over to replace Moton. Although he finished his stay at the University of Georgia as a second-team All-SEC left tackle, the Charleston, S.C. native did record 257 snaps at right tackle over his three collegiate campaigns.
Additionally, Freeling did pick up some work on the right during organized team activities in May. Offensive coordinator Brad Idzik preached the importance of cross-training at the time, a sentiment that has seemingly prevailed upon this unfortunate development for Moton and Carolina.
As for their depth behind Walker and Freeling, the Panthers could turn to sixth-year mainstay Brady Christensen—who just signed back on a one-year deal last week. Although Christensen is trying to put a setback of his own behind him, as he's finally been cleared from a torn Achilles tendon, his experience at both left and right tackle may prove rather valuable in the early goings of 2026.
Other offensive tackles on the current roster include undrafted rookie Albert Reese and sixth-year vet Stone Forsythe—who has also played on both sides during his pro career.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Serious diagnosis on Panthers starter greatly alters offensive outlook for 2026
