Hartwig suffers setback

One day after returning to practice following a three-week absence, center Justin Hartwig was back on the side working with trainers. Although he's still listed as questionable due to a groin injury, about the best the Panthers can probably hope for is having Hartwig to work as a backup this week against Cleveland.

"He just didn't feel quite as good as we were hoping. But no setback, no re-injury," coach John Fox said. "He's still listed as questionable and still not ruled out for this weekend."

In all likelihood, Geoff Hangartner will make his fourth straight start this week at center.

Hangartner has been filling in for Hartwig and has been improving with each passing week. The offensive line finally began to jell last week in the fourth quarter against New Orleans, so Fox probably would have been hesitant to change his starting lineup right now anyway.

"Every coach every year has to deal with that," Fox said when asked if putting Hartwig back in might disrupt the continuity of the offensive line. "We'll evaluate it this week and we'll make that decision Sunday."