The Carolina Panthers will play a key Week 12 prime-time game against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. And defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero may be missing one of his most trusted players for the match.
The Panthers are gaining momentum after their stunning overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons. The last thing they need is for key players to be absent, especially against one of their wild-card opponents, who has probably the most prolific dual-threat running back in the league. However, it appears to be a genuine possibility, as stated by the athlete himself.
Christian Rozeboom left Week 11 due to a hamstring injury. The free-agent signing added that there was some “other stuff” going on previously, and he is unsure of his fate for Carolina’s next game in front of a national audience.
Carolina Panthers face linebacker crisis with Christian Rozeboom problem
It is still unclear what the situation truly means. With Trevin Wallace, Rozeboom’s partner at the second level, dealing with a shoulder issue that kept him out at Mercedes Benz Stadium, the Panthers could be facing significant problems.
Nothing definitive has been announced. Rozeboom did not sound optimistic about the injury, so the team is taking a wait and see approach. Wallace will work to return, but if both linebackers are unavailable, Carolina will have to depend on a mix of Claudin Cherelus, Maema Njongmeta, and undrafted rookie Bam Martin Scott to try to contain Christian McCaffrey.
This will be Carolina’s first competitive meeting with McCaffrey since trading him. The All Pro is dominating this season with 1,439 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns, and he will no doubt want to show the Panthers that moving on from him was a major mistake.
Rozeboom has improved noticeably after a shaky start. Handling the communication duties limited his natural instincts, which was evident on the field. Once Wallace took over that responsibility, Rozeboom was able to play more freely. His growth has been clear, and the defense has looked more settled because of it.
If the Panthers are missing both of their key second level defenders at Levi’s Stadium, their outlook shifts dramatically. Cherelus performed well against the Falcons, and Martin Scott has potential, but there are too many uncertainties to feel secure.
Carolina sits just half a game out of first place in the NFC South. With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the Los Angeles Rams this weekend, the Panthers have a real chance to move into the top spot if they win. That will be difficult, and the rising stakes mean they need everyone available.
Fans will be watching Rozeboom’s status closely in the coming days, but his own comments did not offer much reassurance.