Because of the spending ceiling, teams cannot stockpile good players, depleting depth. That means that there is a significant dropoff from starters to backups. The Panthers entered the 1997 season without starting quarterback Kerry Collins, who was hurt in preseason and is expected to miss the first four games of the season. He was replaced by Steve Beuerlein in the opener, which Carolina lost to the Washington Redskins at home, 24-10. The 49ers lost wide receiver Jerry Rice and quarterback Steve Young in the first game against Tampa Bay.
Rice is out for the season with a knee injury.
Young suffered a concussion that will probably sideline him for Sunday's game and possibly beyond. Defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay will play without tight end Mark Chmura for at least a month, and without cornerback Craig Newsome for the rest of the season after injuries suffered Monday night against Chicago. A season-ending injury to a starter does not always spell disaster. Last season, the Packers lost starting wide receiver Robert Brooks early in the season and still won the Super Bowl. The previous year, Cowboys starting cornerback Kevin Smith ruptured his Achilles' tendon in the season opener.