Da’Norris Searcy return a plus for reeling Panthers secondary
The Panthers could get Searcy back very soon.
Some additional help for the Panthers in the secondary may be on its way. Wednesday, Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer reported that the Panthers designated Da’Norris Searcy to return from Injured Reserve. The team now has 21 days to put him back on the active roster.
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He suffered a concussion against the Atlanta Falcons in Week Two of the season, his second in 30 days. As some of you may recall, he also suffered a concussion during the team’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. When the team acquired him back in March, I was very excited about the prospect of him helping hold down the secondary. I thought it was one of the more underrated free agent signings in what was a busy off-season for Carolina. At the minimum, he was a much-needed depth piece.
Per head coach Ron Rivera, the team will give Searcy a week and see how he feels physically. Once the week is up, they will see whether he is fit enough to be put on the active roster. They are certainly handling him with caution, which is exactly what they should do. Even with a plan in place, Rivera did not squash the idea that Searcy could potentially be back in the secondary for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"“We’ll see. You never know,” said Rivera. “We have to look at some things obviously, but we’ve also got to see how he feels at the end of the week. This is his first real action back on the field, so we’ve got to be smart about it and just make sure he is ready to roll physically in terms of the football movements.”"
If Searcy is healthy and able to help out the Carolina Panthers, that would give them more depth at the safety position. As some of you may recall, he was slated to be the starter alongside Mike Adams. Now, they have a player at the strong safety position in Eric Reid who has done a very good job.. If Searcy is able to come back and play alongside Reid, that would give the Panthers a definite boost. As of right now, Adams has been struggling.
At the moment, Adams would probably be better served as a depth piece. Not only would he be better served as a depth piece, he would be a very good depth piece. This isn’t a matter of completely putting Adams out of the equation. It is just a matter of having better players at the position that can fill a void there. Especially as injuries mount in the regular season, having more players available at the position is certainly an added bonus.
In two games with the Panthers this season, Searcy has recorded five tackles.
light. Hot. Panthers questions for Sunday against Buccaneers
Help may be on the way for the secondary. That is a very good thing. If the Carolina Panthers can add another body to the mix, that will only bode well for them in the long run. They certainly need help at the position and they need players with veteran experience at the position. Searcy fits both of those requirements. He may not be the best safety in the league, but for a reeling Panthers team, his return is certainly a welcome prospect.