EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsGREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Carolina Panthers ruled out four players, including starting outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips (hamstring) and left guard Damien Lewis (knee), Wednesday for "Thursday Night Football" against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.Phillips, Lewis, fill-in starting cornerback Akayleb Evans (triceps/knee) and backup guard Torricelli Simpkins III (ankle) were sidelined throughout the week of practice and were officially shelved for the primetime matchup by the team ahead of its travel for the road matchup.Starting defensive lineman Bobby Brown III was listed as questionable entering the Week 8 clash. Brown, Evans, Lewis and Simpkins all sustained their injuries in Sunday's home loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Phillips will miss a second consecutive game after re-injuring his hamstring against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in a Week 6 road win.Phillips will once again be replaced by a committee opposite fellow starting Patrick Jones II. Princely Umanmielen, a 2025 third-round pick, and veteran Trevis Gipson will rotate with special teams ace Nick Hampton, who was promoted to the 53-man roster this week, at the position.Lewis' replacement is less clear, as coach Dave Canales offered up a couple of different options Tuesday. The coach mentioned Corey Bullock, who started in place of Lewis in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions, as a potential choice. He also mused about journeyman Jake Curhan, who is currently on the practice squad, with Simpkins sidelined. Curhan could get boosted off the practice squad even if he doesn't start, as Simpkins' absence makes the line's depth shallow.The Panthers might also need to make a practice-squad elevation at cornerback, though veteran special teams ace Robert Rochell has already met his three-elevation limit. In order to play Thursday, Rochell would need to be promoted to the 53-man roster by Thursday afternoon. The Panthers will also need to weigh elevating fellow practice-squad cornerbacks Corey Thornton and Marco Wilson. Evans started at cornerback -- with rookie Will Lee III -- in place of injured starters Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin), who have been on injured reserve since Week 4. Lee and Chau Smith-Wade are the lone healthy cornerbacks on the Panthers' 53-man roster heading into the battle with Green Bay."Marco Wilson's a quicker athletic mover and Corey Thornton is a big physical corner, who's played safety [and] who's played nickel for us," Canales said. "So, there's some options there."If Brown isn't able to play, TeRah Edwards would probably return to the game-day rotation. Derrick Brown, Lee Hunter, Turk Wharton and Aaron Hall would headline the group.Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald was added to the injury report Tuesday with an illness, but he doesn't have an injury status before the game.
