Panthers' Taylor Moton moved to non-football injury list with blood clot as offensive line concerns grow

For the archetypal clip successful a decade, the Carolina Panthers returned to the apical of the NFC South. Their breakthrough play ended successful January with a location wild-card thriller, wherever they pushed Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams to the brink.

After picking up Bryce Young’s fifth-year enactment and adding cardinal pieces crossed the roster, the Panthers participate 2026 with higher expectations arsenic the squad eyes a 2nd consecutive part title. But Carolina’s violative enactment took different deed Tuesday, creating the latest trial for a portion charged with protecting the erstwhile No. 1 wide pick.

Taylor Moton, the Panthers seasoned starting close tackle, volition beryllium sidelined erstwhile the regular play kicks disconnected successful September. Moton learned successful precocious June that doctors had discovered a humor clot successful his near lung. The Panthers confirmed connected Tuesday that the 31-year-old volition miss the commencement of the season.

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Taylor Moton No. 72 of the Carolina Panthers looks connected during an NFL crippled against the Chicago Bears astatine Soldier Field successful Chicago, Illinois, connected Nov. 9, 2023. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

Moton’s setback comes with starting near tackle Ikem Ekwonu inactive recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon successful his close knee. Ekwonu suffered the wounded during the Panthers’ playoff game.

Ekwonu underwent exigency appendectomy country past August.

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Moton was moved to the non-football wounded list, joining two-time Pro Bowl antiaircraft backmost Jaycee Horn.

The cornerback missed a Week 12 crippled against the San Francisco 49ers past play but finished the twelvemonth with 16 crippled appearances. Horn landed connected the non-football wounded database this week aft cutting his ft portion running, according to the Panthers.

Jaycee Horn (8) of the Carolina Panthers looks connected during the archetypal fractional of the NFC Wild Card Playoff crippled against the Los Angeles Rams astatine Bank of America Stadium connected Jan. 10, 2026, successful Charlotte, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

After the diagnosis, Moton was enactment connected humor thinners and the squad said helium has responded good to the treatment. Carolina’s aesculapian unit continues to show the seasoned lineman day-to-day.

The Panthers had already moved to support themselves connected the near side, signing seasoned tackle Rasheed Walker successful March arsenic a imaginable replacement for Ekwonu. Moton’s lack could present make an opening connected the close broadside for Monroe Freeling, the violative tackle Carolina selected with the No. 18 prime successful the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Panthers wasted small clip addressing the near broadside of the violative line, signing Rasheed Walker successful March arsenic security for Ekwonu. The adjacent month, Carolina doubled down up beforehand by selecting Monroe Freeling successful the archetypal circular of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Carolina Panthers violative tackle Taylor Moton (72) during the 4th fourth against the San Francisco 49ers astatine Levi's Stadium successful Santa Clara, California, connected Nov. 24, 2025. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)

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The Panthers selected Moton successful the 2nd circular of the 2017 NFL Draft retired of Western Michigan. He has spent each 9 seasons of his NFL vocation with Carolina.

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