Willie Mitchell (undisclosed) could be ready to return after the All-Star break, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Mitchell (undisclosed) could be ready to return after the All-Star break, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Analysis:

The news essentially rules out Mitchell for the Panthers' last game before the All-Star break Tuesday, but indicates that some extended rest ahead of the team's contest on Feb. 2 may be sufficient enough for him to return. There's still no guarantee that will be the case, but the team should continue to provide updates as the date approaches.