For the second straight day Panthers linebacker Jon Beason, guard Geoff Hangartner and cornerback Chris Gamble did not participate in practice and head coach Ron Rivera spelled out the team's contingency plan should the three starters be ruled out for Sunday's game against Seattle. Reserve Garry Williams will start in place of Hangartner should the guard not recover enough from the knee injury that's kept him off the practice field. Second-year cornerback Josh Thomas would see time in place of Gamble if the Panthers' top corner can't go. Rivera said the team is trying out a few options for the hole at middle linebacker should Beason's knee keep him out of Sunday's game. The coach has said previously he doesn't want to move WLB Luke Kuechly to middle, but the rookie will see reps in the middle this week. "You look at what could potentially happen and you say to yourself, is the best thing to keep him static and just move one guy or is it to move guys around? We have to look at that and see how it impacts what we want to do," Rivera said. Source: Charlotte Observer
