The Carolina Panthers were already desperately thin at wide receiver heading into their Week 4 game against the New England Patriots. It didn't take long for more concerns to arise regarding this position group.
And almost inevitably, it resulted in yet another unfortunate injury.
On the first play of the first offensive drive for Carolina, veteran wideout David Moore took a jet sweep and displayed some eye-catching explosiveness to gain 12 yards. However, it came at a price.
David Moore carted off after Carolina Panthers' first offensive play
Moore took a heavy hit that left him reeling. The concerns were immediate, and the trusted ally of head coach Dave Canales was eventually carted off from the field.
A horrible way to start the game. And it forced the Panthers to adjust their game plan accordingly.
Moore was spotted giving a thumbs-up to the crowd on his way into the locker room. It was an upper-body injury, so at least it wasn't anything as severe as a torn ACL or Achilles tendon complication. But it didn't look especially promising.
If Moore is out for the foreseeable future, it further highlights the glaring lack of depth in Carolina's wideout unit. Xavier Legette is currently on the shelf due to a hamstring issue. Pass-catching tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders is another who's going to miss several weeks. The Panthers are seemingly taking things slowly with rookie sixth-rounder Jimmy Horn Jr., but they might need to throw him into the fire sooner than expected after this development.
It didn't matter much to quarterback Bryce Young, who marched the Panthers downfield during a tone-setting first drive with a touchdown pass to Tommy Tremble. As for Moore? He was questionable to return with an elbow complication.
Hopefully, it's nothing too serious. If it does result in an extended absence, general manager Dan Morgan must be prepared to react accordingly.