LT Ikem Ekwonu’s status has been shrouded in uncertainty ever since he underwent an emergency appendectomy, leaving Panthers fans guessing for weeks. But the latest official injury report has finally lifted a bit of that fog.

The starting left tackle, who’s missed significant time recovering, is now listed as questionable for Week 2. A day-to-day, ever since his surgery in August Ekdownu was a limited participant in Friday’s practice, and head coach Dave Canales was happy with what he saw. Yet, he refuses to count his eggs before they hatch.

“It was great,” Canales said, referring to Ekwonu’s energy level. “We ramped him up every day and got him a few more reps each time, he finished off a great practice today, but again we have to just kind of still take this thing a day at a time to see how he wakes up tomorrow after accumulating a couple of day’s work.” Thanks to that, Bryce Young might be the happiest football player in the world.

Ikem Ekwonu’s return is huge for Young. And it’s more than just comfort. It means more time in the pocket, cleaner five-man protection, and fewer makeshift fixes like chip blocks or extra tight-end help that limit route concepts and play-action. Simply put, it gives Young the tools to play his game the way he wants.

We’ve already seen how much protection — or the lack of it — can impact Bryce Young. In Week 1, he went 18-of-35 for 154 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs in a loss. And it’s likely that Ekwonu’s addition would pump those numbers up. And while Ikem Ekwonu looks likely to suit up this week, others, too, seem set to go.

More good news for Bryce Young

The most notable name on the report is obviously Hunter Renfrow. The wide receiver, who finished Week 1 with an 81 percent route share, was listed as having a rib injury, but had full participation in Friday’s training following two days of limited action.

Then there’s also Robert Hunt. He popped up on the injury report with a foot issue, but he wrapped up the week with full participation. Hunt was a big offseason investment for the Panthers — they locked him into a five-year, $100 million deal to anchor the interior. He looks set to suit up this week.

But Tershawn Wharton sticks out like a sore thumb. The Panthers brought in the defensive end from the Chiefs this offseason to help fix their league-worst run defense and boost the pass rush. But after suffering a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 26-10 loss to the Jaguars, the former undrafted Missouri S&T standout will be sidelined for two to four weeks, leaving Carolina’s defensive front even thinner than expected. It will be seen if he participates in next week’s training, although that is a very unlikely affair.

Other names like Damien Lewis and A’Shawn Robinson fully participated throughout the week and will most likely step onto the field this week.