The Carolina Panthers (6-6) are still reeling from the aftershocks of their not-so-natural disaster of a Week 12 Monday Night Football performance. In preparation for Week 13 and beyond, Carolina has begun assessing the damage and developing a plan of action for moving forward. That started on Tuesday with a handful of updates and announcements.
Panthers’ Defense Loses Cornerback for the Season, Safety Dealing With Ankle Issue
Panthers’ head coach Dave Canales took to the podium on Tuesday to offer more perspective on what he learned from the game against the San Francisco 49ers. Naturally, he was asked for updates on the numerous injuries that seemed to mount during the game, specifically those affecting Jaycee Horn and Claudin Cherelus.
Canales began, “Yep, just in concussion protocol right now. We’ll take that day to day.” It was what Canales offered next, though, that shocked many, saying, “And the one I will share with us is [cornerback] Corey [Thornton] suffered a fractured tibia, I believe — fibula. And it’s going to require surgery, and he’ll be out for the season.”
Thornton had just started gaining traction, playing his season-high snap count (46) on defense against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 as the nickel corner in Ejiro Evero’s defense. When Jaycee Horn (concussion) couldn’t return on Monday night, Thornton kicked outside, showing off his versatility and physicality.
With Thornton out of the mix, Chau Smith-Wade and Akayleb Evans saw extended playing time in Week 12 and are expected to be the in-house solutions going forward. Smith-Wade’s 66.3 score is the No. 92-ranked PFSN CBi value on the season.
Safety Tre’von Moehrig is expected to miss Week 13 because of his suspension handed down on Tuesday by the league offices. Still, Canales also informed the media that Moehrig has “something going on with his ankle. He’s being evaluated as well. He’ll be day to day. We’ll give you the full report on it on Wednesday.”
Former Clemson All-American LB Signs To Practice Squad
The Panthers have signed former Clemson linebacker and Butkus Award-winner Isaiah Simmons to the practice squad, amidst the rash of injuries to the position room. The transaction doesn’t make amends for the franchise having never drafted a Clemson Tiger. Still, it’s sure to intrigue the fan base’s demographic who have an orange and purple allegiance.
Simmons has been an enigma regarding his defensive alignment and usage in the NFL. He was named to the PFWA all-rookie team after starting just seven games in 2020. He has accumulated 329 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, nine fumbles forced, and five interceptions over his five years. At just 27 years old, the former eighth-overall pick in 2020 will look to prove he has plenty left in the tank.
Canales was asked how the team planned to use Simmons, to which he responded, “We’re going to figure that part out. He’s also been a contributor on special teams. But [linebacker] Isaiah [Simmons] is a big, fast athlete, worth just bringing in, getting him out there, getting him comfortable with our schemes and hearing our words.”
READ MORE: Week 13 NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Fall After Loss to Cowboys, Steelers Tumble
The move comes in reaction to Cherelus’ status being in doubt. It’s challenging to navigate the league’s concussion protocol within a week, let alone on a short week, since the team played on Monday. The Panthers released safety Trevian Thomas to make room for Simmons.
Asked if Simmons could be active for the Panthers in Week 13, Canales simply said, “He may.”