5 reasons for Carolina Panthers fans to be optimistic through Week 5

Carolina Panthers get Stephon Gilmore back soon

Don’t look now, but we might only be a few short days away from Stephon Gilmore being removed from the physically unable to perform list. The Carolina Panthers acquired the All-Pro cornerback from the New England Patriots recently, which is yet another boost to a secondary that boasts legitimate playmakers everywhere you look.

Much will depend on just how well Gilmore’s torn quad has healed. If everything checks out, then the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year could feature in some capacity at the New York Giants in Week 7.

This looks like a win-now move from the Panthers. Gilmore is out of contract next spring and wants one more lucrative extension before walking away from the game, but whether Carolina can afford this with Donte Jackson also needing to be paid is another matter.

A problem for the future, one suspects.

But everyone should enjoy a player of Gilmore’s capabilities while they have him.

If Gilmore returns to the player of old, then it’s going to be incredibly difficult to gain yards through the air on the Panthers. Adding the former South Carolina standout to a cornerback room that includes Jackson, A.J. Bouye, C.J. Henderson, and potentially Jaycee Horn before the end of the campaign has untold potential.