Panthers release final injury report for Washington Football Team matchup

The Carolina Panthers got some relatively good news on their injury report this week. Only one player has an injury designation.

That means Cam Newton will be with a mostly healthy roster in first start back in Carolina. In fact, every player listed on the injury report is a defensive player, meaning there shouldn’t be any surprises on offense for Sunday’s game against the Washington Football Team.

Kickoff between Carolina and Washington is Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

Panthers vs. Washington injury report

Questionable — CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver (toe)

Thomas-Oliver is the only Panthers player to have a designation this week, and he was only limited in practice for Friday’s walk-through. He’s dealing with a toe injury that kept him out of Carolina’s last two games, and appeared to be well on his way to playing this week. But a limited participation on Friday — an estimation since it was a walk-through — isn’t what fans want to see.

No injury designation — DE Marquis Haynes Sr. (foot), LB Frankie Luvu (shoulder), CB Rashaan Melvin (hand), DE Yetur Gross-Matos (ankle)

There’s plenty of good news for the Panthers this week, though. Four players listed on the injury report should be full gos this week.

Haynes worked his way from a “did not practice” (DNP) designation on Wednesday to full participation Thursday and Friday to shed an injury designation. He has been dealing with a foot injury and didn’t have an injury designation last week, either.

Luvu was limited Wednesday with his shoulder injury, but worked his way to full participation Thursday and Friday. He was questionable last week, but looks to be good to go against Washington.

Melvin practiced in full all week after missing last week’s game with a hand injury. Having him back in the secondary will be a good boost for the panthers, who saw Stephon Gilmore come off the injury report this week.

Gross-Matos was added to the injury report on Friday, but was listed as a full participant in the walk-through. He doesn’t carry an injury designation, but his addition is something to monitor heading into Sunday’s game.

Cam Newton to make first Panthers start since 2019

Carolina is getting ready to play its first home game since Newton returned to the Panthers last week. Newton was cut by the Patriots on Aug. 31 and the Panthers brought him back after Sam Darnold suffered a shoulder injury.

Sunday will be Newton’s first start in a Panthers uniform since 2019.