CHARLOTTE – The defense will be without defensive end Charles Johnson for Sunday's game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quite possibly longer, but the prospects of linebacker Luke Kuechly returning have brightened.
Head coach Ron Rivera said Monday that Johnson, who suffered a hamstring injury late in the third quarter of Carolina's 27-22 win over New Orleans, will be reevaluated after the Panthers play Tampa Bay in Week 4 and then have their bye in Week 5. Rivera admitted the injury could keep Johnson out longer than that but it's too early to say.