Panthers declared TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, WR John Metchie, QB Haynes King, S Zakee Wheatley, OT Albert Reese, OLB Patrick Jones II, and DT Cam Jackson inactive for Week 1 against the Bears.

13 September 2026

Sanders, who worked through a lingering ankle injury this offseason, won’t suit up for the team’s season opener. That leaves Darren Waller and Tommy Tremble as the Panthers’ top two tight ends against Chicago. Waller will be a touchdown-dependent TE2 option who probably won’t run many routes in the run-first Carolina offense. Tremble should remain on waiver wires.