Ron Rivera coy on Charles Johnson risk

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has refused to confirm whether or not he would risk Charles Johnson if he is not fully fit for Sunday's match against the Miami Dolphins.

Johnson suffered a sprained knee during Monday's win over the New England Patriots and Rivera admitted that he would "more than likely" miss the Dolphins match with the injury.

However, with the Panthers well-placed to launch a playoff charge in the NFC South, Rivera would not reveal whether he would err on the side of caution if Johnson were able to play, protecting him for matches later in the season.

"I don't want to say yes because all these games, each one is important. You want to win them [all], and you've got to win now," Rivera told reporters.

"But again, we've got to be smart. We've got to make a really good decision, and he's got to be honest with us."

Johnson is a key part of the Panthers' defence having recorded a team-leading 8.5 sacks so far this season.