Free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe is listed as questionable for this Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers.

Atogwe has been slowed by a knee injury suffered in last week's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

He was not able to practice on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

Asked if Atogwe had practiced on Friday, head coach Mike Shanahan hesitated and then said, "Not really. We didn't want to push him, but he's definitely not ruled out.

As for the progress on his injury this week, Atogwe said he is focused on getting healthy.

"I'm getting better everyday," he said. "It's one of those things where you really have to be careful with it just so that it doesn't linger throughout the season."

He still has hope for the upcoming game, though.

"I hope [to play]," he said. "That's the plan and that's what we are working towards."

If Atogwe is not able to play on Sunday, then either Reed Doughty or rookie DeJon Gomes would see action in his place. Doughty and Gomes both have experience playing free safety. Gomes is listed as Atogwe's backup on the depth chart.

Shanahan is not sure about Atogwe's status for Sunday, but he wants to make sure he is healthy before playing him.

"You don't know until somebody can go," Shanahan said. "When we hold a guy out, it's for a couple of reasons. We are trying to heal him up. We're afraid if we push him, we'll set him back."

Elsewhere in the secondary, cornerback Byron Westbrook has been ruled out of Sunday's game due to a hamstring injury. Westbrook suffered the injury during practice on Wednesday.

With Westbrook out, cornerback Phillip Buchanon could see his first action of the regular season vs. Carolina. Buchanon practiced fully this week despite being listed with a neck injury.

Buchanon sat out the first four games of the regular season due to an NFL suspension. He was deactivated for last week's game vs. Philadelphia.