If suffering an embarrassing loss against the San Francisco 49ers with the national NFL audience watching on wasn't bad enough, the Carolina Panthers also saw some concerning injury issues emerge. And with the Los Angeles Rams up next at Bank of America Stadium, this is the last thing that head coach Dave Canales wanted.
Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn left the game at halftime with a concussion. The Panthers are taking things day by day. And the fact that he was reportedly vomiting on the sidelines following his second interception at Levi's Stadium means his status for this weekend's clash with the NFC's No. 1 seed could legitimately go either way.
Things were even bleaker for Corey Thornton. Canales revealed that the undrafted rookie cornerback suffered a fractured fibula and will be placed on season-ending injured reserve. The timing is awful, especially given that the surging defensive back was starting to build some positive momentum.
Corey Thornton left a positive impact on Carolina Panthers as an undrafted rookie
Thornton was a summer standout. The Panthers swooped quickly to secure his services in undrafted free agency, giving him $140,000 in guaranteed salary to bring him on board. He repaid their faith with a seamless transition to book his deserved place on the 53-man roster.
The Panthers have taken things slowly with Thornton, as expected. He's been more involved in the defensive rotation in recent weeks and didn't look out of place whatsoever. Now, he's set for an extended spell on the sidelines. But even so, he's at least left a positive enough impression to be part of Carolina's plans next season if his rehabilitation goes according to plan.
This is a blow for Thornton. His size, versatility, and physicality were coming to life on Ejiro Evero's improving defense, and the trajectory was firmly pointing up. What's important now is attacking his recovery, making sure his targets are hit, and taking things one step at a time. Until then, the Panthers will have to make the best out of a bad situation.
Injuries are all part of the business. Thornton is the latest encouraging performer to go to the shelf in Carolina, so forming contingency plans is crucial for Canales. But with two more years remaining on his rookie contract, there is a good chance the Louisville product can bounce back and become the latest undrafted gem to have a profitable NFL career.
Fans will wish Thornton well, and they've been immensely impressed by what they've seen from the fearless corner thus far. Hopefully, he can pick up where he left off once medically cleared to participate.