Carolina Panthers’ Turk Wharton undergoes neck procedure ahead of OTAs
The Carolina Panthers will be without starting defensive end Tershawn “Turk” Wharton for the foreseeable future.
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Wharton, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Panthers last offseason, recently underwent a neck procedure, a league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer. While Wharton’s return timeline hasn’t been finalized, he is expected to play this season, the source said. However, he is expected to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Wharton worked through an injury-riddled first campaign in Carolina last year, appearing in just nine games. The 6-foot-1, 280-pound defensive end, who is set to turn 27 next month, produced 36 total tackles and two sacks last season in Carolina.
Wharton was signed to be a featured pass rusher within the Panthers’ odd front. He was expected to lead the trench group, along with Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown, this summer.
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The Panthers selected Texas Tech defensive lineman Lee Hunter in the second round of April’s NFL Draft. Hunter, who signed his four-year rookie contract on Friday, will be part of the main defensive line platoon.
The team will now move forward with Hunter, Derrick and Bobby Brown as the primary defensive linemen. The team also has Cam Jackson, a 2025 fifth-round pick, to fill the Wharton void. Other defensive linemen under contract include journeyman LaBryan Ray, second-year defender Jared Harrison-Hunte and undrafted rookies Aaron Hall and Parker Peterson.
The Panthers’ roster is currently at the 91-man limit. If they were to add a replacement to the mix, a move would need to be made to reduce the roster.
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 7:46 PM.
