The Carolina Panthers are out to a 0-5 start and remain the only winless team in the league after a Week 5 loss to the Detroit Lions. The biggest story of the game isn’t the loss itself though, but rather the lack of playing time for Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr.

After making a team-high nine catches in Week 4, Marshall was nowhere to be found last Sunday as he did not play a single snap against the Lions.

“I have no clue why I didn’t play,” Marshall said, via Alex Zietlow. “It was surprising. I didn’t expect to sit out the whole game. It just happened.”

Marshall was on the field for 92 offensive snaps in the two games prior to Week 5, notching 14 receptions for 91 yards. He played 64% of Carolina's offensive plays through the first four games.

The Panthers don’t have anything to lose by playing Marshall considering they need all the help they can get on offense so it's peculiar that the third-year wideout did not see the field. Panthers head coach Frank Reich took the blame for Marshall's nonexistence in Sunday's game, saying he did not do a good job of communicating with his coaches to get him on the field.

Marshall was expected to take another leap this year after having a fine sophomore campaign in 2022. The 2021 second-round pick caught 28 passes for 490 yards and a touchdown last season, averaging 17.5 yards per reception. He already has more than half his targets and receptions from a season ago.

If it truly came down to some miscommunication, it sums up what's been a rough start to the season for the Panthers. Terrace Marshall Jr. deserves playing time and he'll likely get it moving forward.