The Carolina Panthers have been scrambling to find answers at cornerback over the past month, but one of their recent additions may already have proven to be a smart pickup.
Veteran cornerback Marco Wilson made an immediate impact in their loss to the Green Bay Packers. After being called up from the practice squad to start, he finished with eight tackles, including six solo stops, and two passes defended in his first appearance with the Panthers.
He also led the team in tackles, an impressive showing for someone who wasn't even on the roster a month ago.
Marco Wilson gave Carolina Panthers some much-needed cornerback relief
And considering how badly Carolina has been hurting at cornerback, Wilson's performance couldn't have come at a much better time.
The Panthers have had some pretty awful injury luck in their secondary this season.
Starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Sr. both landed on injured reserve following Carolina's Week 3 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Horn suffered a significant quad injury, while Jackson went down with a groin issue.
That forced Carolina to turn to Akayleb Evans, who started the next three games before suffering knee and triceps injuries of his own.
The Panthers placed Evans on injured reserve ahead of their matchup at Lambeau Field, leaving the team with just two healthy cornerbacks on its active roster. Rookie fourth-rounder Will Lee III also left Week 8 with a hamstring problem, and he is considered day-to-day.
That gave Wilson an opportunity. And he certainly made the most of it.
Marco Wilson deserves another shot as Carolina Panthers wait for injured corners
Green Bay still managed to put up 27 points, and Wilson's performance alone wasn't enough to stop quarterback Jordan Love and company. But given the circumstances, it's hard to complain about what Carolina got from a cornerback who had spent the previous three weeks on its practice squad.
Of course, one productive game doesn't suddenly make Wilson a starting-caliber cornerback. But the Panthers also aren't in a position to be particularly picky right now.
Wilson has at least shown he deserves another shot as he looks to earn a permanent call-up to the active roster.
Following Thursday's game, Wilson reverted to the practice squad under the NFL's standard elevation rules. However, Carolina can elevate him two more times before it must sign him to the active roster for another appearance.
That gives the Panthers some flexibility while they wait for their injured cornerbacks to return.
And if Wilson continues producing, it wouldn't be surprising to see him eventually earn a prominent role.
Carolina originally brought Wilson in as a depth option, likely hoping he'd provide insurance if the injuries kept piling up.
The injuries kept coming, and Wilson answered the call.
Now the Panthers face an interesting decision heading into their next game. With so much uncertainty at cornerback, Wilson has given them at least one reason to feel better about their depth.
Add us as a preferred source on Google