CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers announced Monday that multiple players will be added to the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list following the team's bye week, and the team facility will be closed Monday and Tuesday as a precaution.
The Panthers identified wide receivers DJ Moore and Curtis Samuel as two of the players placed on the list on Monday. Also given that designation were defensive tackles Zach Kerr and Derrick Brown, linebacker Shaq Thompson, tackle Greg Little and punter Michael Palardy. Palardy, however, is on the injured reserve list specifically. Wide receiver Ishmael Hyman is going onto the practice squad/COVID-19 list.
The players going on the reserve list were made public after the Panthers organization submitted the transaction to the NFL office.
WCNC Charlotte's Ashley Stroehlein said the team continued testing for COVID-19 during the bye week. As of 1 p.m. Monday, the Panthers had not identified any players who were added to the list, but Stroehlein confirmed Moore was one of the players who will be added, as first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Losing Moore and Samuel "would subtract 36.5% of the team's receptions (Moore has 50 and Samuel 54 of the team's 285), 46.2% of their receiving yards (Moore 924, Samuel 517, team 3,120) and 46.7% of their receiving touchdowns (Moore with four and Samuel with three of the team's 15)," the Pathers said in a release about the announcement.
The Panthers have Robby Anderson, Pharoh Cooper and Brandon Zylstra left as wideout options on their active roster.
"The Panthers are expected to get running back Christian McCaffrey back this week, which should help spread out the offensive load," the Panther's office said.
Last week, the Panthers placed defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and practice squad defensive tackle, Bruce Hector, on the COVID-19/reserve list. Carolina is scheduled to host the Denver Broncos Sunday, Dec. 13 at Bank of America Stadium.
Gross-Matos was the first Panthers player on the active roster to be put on the reserve/COVID-19 list since Rasul Douglas in late October.