CHARLOTTE -- The Carolina Panthers are shuffling the offensive line ahead of Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

Starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu will be out after not practicing all week. Ekwonu left last weekend's game against the Broncos with an ankle injury. In his place, the Panthers will start Brady Christensen, who filled in for Ekwonu in Denver.

Christensen has been the starting center ever since Austin Corbett went out with a season-ending biceps injury. So the Panthers will play a bit of musical chairs; Christensen moving to left tackle means Cade Mays will now come to start at center. Mays finished the game against the Broncos snapping as well.

Mays has experience at center both in college and in the league.

"I thought Brady did a great job stepping in for us last week. So, we'll let Brady get out there. Cade Mays will play center for us and then, that'll be the group," head coach Dave Canales explained. "So, I feel really confident with that group."

The ability to move guys around in such a way largely swings on Christensen's versatility. He has played, and now started, across the line, giving the Panthers a comparability to adjust to the line in this way.

"I think Brady has done such a great job of the opportunities," Canales said. "Stepping in for Corb, being able to play center, it's not an easy thing to do. And the way that he did it was great. And then in-game to be able to pop out and play tackle at an NFL level was fantastic. So, I think I'm just really proud of Brady, the way that he was so mature about the changes and the way that he helped us in those situations."

Prior to Sunday, Christensen last played left tackle in 2021. That season, Christensen took 311 pass blocking snaps at tackle, giving up a quarterback pressure only 13.5 percent of the time, according to Next Gen Stats. Of those 311 pass blocking snaps, 222 were one-on-one, only allowing a pressure on 32 of said blocks. While he may not have the wingspan of other left tackles, Canales isn't worried because, as he explained, Christensen's technique is solid.

"I would say that all across the line, you know, whatever position you play, you could be a little bit out of position and make up for it with a little bit of length," Canales said. "But I think when you don't have that elite length, your fundamentals, your footwork, your hat placement, being on top of your assignments and all those things is a premium and that's where Brady really shines because he can do those things. He knows what he's doing and he's very technically sound."

Another week for injury guys

The Panthers have one starter and two potential starters still not on the 53-man active roster, as they take the final steps in their rehab process within the 21-day window. Regardless of any moves in the next few days, Canales said he does not expect to have running back Jonathon Brooks, outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum or receiver Adam Thielen this weekend against the Saints. The first two are technically listed as questionable, while Thielen remains doubtful.

"The guys stacked really, really solid (days)," Canales said on Friday of the trio. "We're gathering all that information, and we'll go through this weekend, probably without those guys—we're talking about Brooks, we're talking about Wonnum, we're talking about Thielen.

"So guys that are certainly trending towards where we know that they can help us, but want to be completely sure for the guys and for the team."