The NFL offseason has entered the heart of organized team activities, with OTAs now underway. Teams will soon begin minicamps as they move closer to the preseason.

The Carolina Panthers still have several issues to address before minicamp and training camp begin, and the team received an unexpected update on Friday.

Reports indicate that 2025 free-agent addition Tershawn Wharton underwent neck surgery earlier this month. He is expected to begin the regular season on the PUP list.

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Wharton missed eight games during the 2025 season because of injury and has now taken another step to address the issue. The encouraging news is that he is reportedly expected to return in 2026.

Proceeding with care

Neck injuries have become especially delicate situations for NFL teams in recent years. Players such as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah continue working toward a return from similar injuries.

Unfortunately, injuries like these remain highly unpredictable. Teams must approach them cautiously rather than risk a player’s long-term health and career.

Wharton joined the Panthers in free agency last offseason, signing a three-year, $54 million contract. Although injuries limited him last year, he still flashed potential in limited action. He even appeared in Carolina’s Wild Card game.

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Before joining the Panthers, Wharton entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri University of Science and Technology. He spent his first five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wharton developed into a productive interior rotational lineman during the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII championship runs. In 2024, he earned the largest role of his career.

Playing alongside Chris Jones, Wharton started 10 games and appeared in all 17 contests. He finished the season with 6.5 sacks, 29 tackles, one forced fumble, and seven tackles for loss.

His breakout 2024 campaign made him one of the top free agents available in 2025. During the 2025 season, Wharton recorded two sacks, a career-high 39 tackles, and two tackles for loss.

Once healthy, Wharton should again provide a strong presence on the Panthers’ rising defense.