Panthers activate OL Pat Elflein from injured reserve

The Panthers will welcome back a key member of their offensive line this weekend. The team has activated guard Pat Elflein off injured reserve, reports Joe Person of The Athletic.

The 27-year-old landed on IR in September after suffering a hamstring injury. Elflein returned to practice back in October, and Wednesday was the deadline for the organization to activate him off IR. Per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Charlotte Observer, the lineman was expected to return earlier but suffered a setback.

The former third-round pick spent the beginning of his career with the Vikings, starting 43 of his 44 appearances. He split the 2020 season between the Vikings and the Jets, and he landed in Carolina this offseason on a three-year, $13.5M deal. He started each of his two games this season, including a Week 1 win in which he appeared in 95 percent of his team’s offensive snaps.

It remains to be seen if Elflein will slide back into the starting lineup for this weekend’s game against the Patriots. The Panthers offensive line has improved over the past few weeks, so the organization could end up sticking with backups Michael Jordan and Trenton Scott in the starting lineup.