The Panthers took linebacker Luke Kuechly with them on their two-week road trip to the West Coast in hopes that he’d be able to play against the Seahawks this weekend, but he hasn’t been cleared from the concussion protocol yet.
Kuechly missed practice on Wednesday while still dealing with the concussion he suffered in the team’s Week 11 victory over the Saints. Kuechly did not practice at all last week either, which indicates he’s still in the early stages of the protocol almost two weeks after sustaining the injury.
The Panthers announced that safety Kurt Coleman is also in the concussion protocol, so their defense may be missing multiple players when they hit Seattle this weekend. The playoffs are all but out of reach for the Panthers, but the Seahawks are working to nail down a first-round bye and the absences would likely help their offense’s chances of bouncing back from last week’s five-point showing against the Buccaneers.
Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin also sat out with a shoulder injury that he’s been dealing with for the last couple of weeks. Benjamin was able to play a regular role against the Raiders, however, so this may just be maintenance to ensure he’s available this weekend.