The Carolina Panthers signed Chandler Wooten off their practice squad, the NFL team announced on Tuesday night, and the former Auburn standout has the most experience at inside linebacker among the healthy players at the position.

In a 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the Panthers lost starting linebacker Shaq Thompson for the rest of the season because of an Achilles-tendon tear and starting linebacker Josey Jewell for at least the next game because of groin and hamstring injuries.

The likely starters at inside linebacker for Carolina on Oct. 6 against the Chicago Bears are third-round rookie Trevin Wallace, who has played 36 defensive snaps this season, and Claudin Cherelus, who has played nine defensive snaps since joining the Panthers in 2023.

Carolina also has inside linebacker Jon Rhattigan, a special-teams regular in his fourth NFL season. Rhattigan has played 19 defensive snaps in 36 NFL games.

Wooten has played 47 defensive snaps in 17 games since Carolina signed him off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad on Oct. 17, 2022.

Wooten had joined Arizona after being passed over in the 2022 NFL Draft. Wooten played on special teams in nine of the Panthers’ remaining 10 games after coming aboard.

In 2023, Wooten had played in all eight of Carolina’s games when he sustained an ankle injury in a 27-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 5 and spent the remainder of the season on injured reserve.

In 17 NFL regular-season games, Wooten has 322 special-teams plays.

This year, the Panthers signed Wooten to their practice squad after he did not make the active roster entering the regular season.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.