The Carolina Panthers are currently dealing with some injury problems in their cornerback room heading into a daunting Week 13 game against the Los Angeles Rams. Not exactly ideal, but general manager Dan Morgan moved swiftly to form a quiet contingency plan.
Jaycee Horn is in the NFL's concussion protocol after leaving Carolina's defeat against the San Francisco 49ers at halftime. The cornerback was seen vomiting on the sidelines after his second interception, and head coach Dave Canales said he is taking it day to day before determining his status.
The prognosis was much worse for undrafted rookie Corey Thornton. As the first-year corner was starting to build some positive momentum, he suffered a fractured fibula at Levi's Stadium that will rule him out for the entire campaign. That represents a blow to the player and the Panthers, leaving Ejiro Evero with Mike Jackson Sr., Chau Smith-Wade, and Akayleb Evans as his healthy options if Horn cannot go.
Carolina Panthers scoop Robert Rochell from the Cowboys' practice squad
Morgan leaves nothing to chance. The front-office leader strikes with conviction and has proven credentials to adapt effectively to almost any situation. This was evident once again when Adam Schefter from ESPN confirmed that the Panthers had signed Robert Rochell from the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad.
Rochelle has featured twice for the Cowboys this season. Perhaps more importantly, he knows Evero well from their time together on the Rams. That should ensure a smooth transition into his system, but whether this weekend's game comes too soon for the 2021 fourth-round pick remains to be seen.
If Horn doesn't get the all clear, the Panthers might have no choice but to involve Rochelle. He should be in shape after being with Dallas all season. We've already spoken about the scheme familiarity, so this could be an intriguing addition if he manages to hit the ground running.
Evero has displayed a preference for working with players he trusts during his time in Carolina. There have been more misses than hits, but in this instance, it brings a potentially instant contributor who already knows what the coach expects.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Losing Thornton is disappointing. If Horn can't feature, it's nothing short of disastrous against the high-octane Rams offense. Asking Rochelle to log prominent reps from the moment he gets into the building is unfair, but he'll relish the opportunity to thrive under Evero's guidance once again.
Time will tell on Horn. But Morgan was not going to wait around.