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Defensive end Charles Johnson had a trap muscle “lock up” on him after Sunday’s practice, but the Panthers’ still plan to play him in their preseason finale Thursday at Pittsburgh.

Johnson, who stayed inside for treatment during Monday morning’s practice, hasn’t played this preseason because of a calf strain. Coach Ron Rivera said Johnson may have tweaked his trap while lifting.

“He walked in like Quasimodo,” Carolina’s coach quipped, referencing The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Rivera said last week that he wanted to get Johnson some preseason snaps, a hope he repeated Monday:

“The one thing you don’t want, or at least I don’t believe you should have, is a guy’s only real action during training camp being the regular season game.”

Rivera also mentioned defensive tackle Kawann Short, who sat out the first three games after dealing with back spasms, as a starter who could play against the Steelers.

Also, receiver Devin Funchess said, “If I’m practicing, I’m going to play.” That was after the rookie appeared to tweak his troublesome right hamstring during a 7-on-7 drill early in practice.

“We were getting a lot of reps. It might have just been tight, I don’t know what it was,” Funchess said before admitting, “You get frustrated. You come back feeling good and then it comes right back to you.”

Rivera did have one piece of good news on a day that didn’t have much. He said the groin injury Jerricho Cotchery suffered Friday night against the Patriots is “just a tweak” and the veteran receiver is expected to play in Week 1.

Monday’s Health Watch

Did Not Practice

• WR Jerricho Cotchery (groin)
• TE Richie Brockel (shoulder)
• C Ryan Kalil (knee)
• C Brian Folkerts (ankle)
• OT Davonte Wallace (concussion)
• DE Charles Johnson (trap)
• DE Mario Addison (illness)
• DT Star Lotulelei (foot)
• DT Micanor Regis (groin)
• CB Charles Tillman (concussion)
• CB Melvin White (hamstring)
• DB Colin Jones (groin)

Returned to Practice

• DE Arthur Miley (knee)
• LB Jason Trusnik (calf)

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