Ian Thomas is set to miss at least the first four weeks of the 2024 campaign. The Panthers announced that they’ve placed the tight end on injured reserve with a calf injury. To take Thomas’s place, Feleipe Franks has been signed to the active roster.
Thomas has been dealing with a nagging calf injury since the early part of training camp. He was already ruled out for Week 1, but it sounds like he’ll need at least an additional three weeks to recover.
The 2018 fourth-round pick has spent his entire career in Carolina. Despite getting into more snaps following the departure of Greg Olsen, Thomas hasn’t translated the extra playing time into offensive production. While starting 38 of his 50 appearances between 2020 and 2022, Thomas hauled in a total of 59 catches for 530 yards and one touchdown. He finished with a career-low five catches in 2023, with the veteran finding himself behind Tommy Tremble and Hayden Hurst on the depth chart.
Thomas could have been in line for more snaps in 2024, at least in the interim. Tremble is uncertain for tomorrow’s season opener, so the Panthers may have to rely on fourth-round rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders. The team is also rostering former WR Jordan Matthews and recent addition Messiah Swinson. Franks will now be joining that group. The former QB moved to the TE position with the Falcons in 2022, and after spending the 2023 season on IR, he stuck around Carolina’s practice squad as a tight end heading into the 2024 campaign.
The Panthers announced a handful of additional moves today. The team signed defensive tackle Jayden Peevy to the active roster, elevated running back Mike Boone and cornerback Lonnie Johnson from the practice squad, and waived cornerback Keenan Isaac.