New Carolina Panthers offensive weapon expects to play against Chicago Bears

Week 1 of the NFL season is officially here as the new campaign kicks off this Wednesday. While the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks get things kicked off, most of the other teams will have to wait until Sunday. That includes the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers.

The Bears will head to Charlotte to meet the Panthers in Week 1 as two NFC division winners from last season will face off in Week 1. Both teams want to show that they have improved and are ready to take another step.

While Chicago is expected to have a high-powered offense backed with some top talent, the Panthers are hoping their offense can come together around quarterback Bryce Young. And the former No. 1 overall pick should be getting some veteran help for Week 1.

Darren Waller expects to play in Week 1

Darren Waller Chicago Bears Carolina Panthers — Nov 30, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83) takes the field prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images

One of the weak spots on the Panthers offense is at tight end. They didn’t see anyone on the roster emerge during training camp and the preseason. That led them to sign veteran Darren Waller a few weeks back.

Waller didn’t play in the preseason and leading into this game, there’s questions about his availability. However, he expects to play on Sunday.

The Athletic’s Joe Person reported on Monday that Waller is expecting to play vs. the Bears.

“The Panthers used a slow ramp up with Waller this summer after his soft-tissue issues w/ MIA coming off his 1-yr retirement,” Person wrote on X. “But the veteran TE expects to be active Sun. vs. the Bears.”

Waller needed a ramp up period when he arrived in training camp but now that the games matter, he’s ready to go.

Head coach Dave Canales told the media that Waller looked ‘big and fast’ out there, hyping up the tight end. The Panthers are hoping Waller can give anything close to what he did last season with the Miami Dolphins where he scored six touchdowns and caught 24 passes for 283 yards in nine games.

If he can give any production like that, he could continue to revive his career.

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