North Charlotte Today

The Carolina Panthers have placed Shaq Thompson on injured reserve following a torn Achilles sustained in last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite his injury, Thompson has remained actively involved with the team, even reaching out to head coach Dave Canales shortly after his surgery to inquire about practice.

Thompson, a five-time team captain and a significant presence in the franchise's history, ranks fourth on the team's all-time tackle list with 741 tackles. He follows Luke Kuechly, Thomas Davis, and Mike Minter in this record.

With Thompson's placement on injured reserve, the Panthers' roster now stands at 52 players. To bolster their lineup for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears, the team has activated outside linebacker Thomas Incoom and defensive lineman T.J. Smith from the practice squad as standard elevations.

Additionally, tight end Ian Thomas and cornerback Dane Jackson have been downgraded to out for Sunday's matchup. Although they began practicing this week as part of their recovery from previous injuries, they were not moved to the active 53-man roster. The Panthers have a two-week window during which these players can continue practicing and potentially be activated.