Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Thursday’s joint practice between the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets was eventful, but the biggest news centered on a player who wasn’t even on the field. Panthers head coach, Dave Canales, announced that starting cornerback Dane Jackson suffered a ‘significant’ hamstring injury during Wednesday’s practice and could miss up to six weeks.
Canales also provided an update on safety Xavier Woods, revealing that Woods’ groin injury is “more serious than we thought” and will keep him sidelined for at least a couple of weeks. This leaves the Panthers potentially without two key members of their secondary for their September 8 season opener against the New Orleans Saints.
Hubbard’s Knee Clears
In better news for the Panthers, tests on running back Chuba Hubbard’s knee came back positive, with Canales stating the results “looked really good.” Additionally, second-year quarterback Bryce Young bounced back from a rough practice the previous day, where he threw two interceptions, to look “sharp” during Thursday’s session.
However, the Panthers’ secondary remains a major concern, particularly at the cornerback position. With Jackson out, Carolina has thin depth at cornerback opposite starter Jaycee Horn, who has struggled with injuries and was on a pitch count Thursday.
Gilmore Signing Possibility
One potential solution could be signing veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and five-time Pro Bowler is a South Carolina native and was a high school teammate of Panthers outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney. Sources indicate that the Panthers would be interested in Gilmore if the financial terms are favorable, but with only $6.3 million in cap space, the second-lowest in the league, negotiations could be tricky. Gilmore recently visited the Minnesota Vikings but left without a deal.
If the Panthers stick with their current roster, the likely candidates to start opposite Horn include Lamar Jackson, Troy Hill, Dicaprio Bootle, and D’Shawn Jamison—none of whom have significant starting experience.
Scuffle After Marshall TD
Thursday’s practice wasn’t just about injuries. Bryce Young and wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. shined, connecting for two red zone touchdowns. After the second score, Marshall flipped the ball towards Jets cornerback D.J. Reed, sparking a brief scuffle between the teams. Reed retaliated by throwing the ball back, but it hit Hubbard instead.
Coach Canales criticized the incident, saying, “That’s dumb football. We can’t have that. We want to celebrate with each other, make plays, and give the opponents nothing.”
Despite the scuffle, Canales was pleased with Young’s overall performance, particularly in how he managed the play where Hubbard was injured. “Getting to the next progression, you don’t have it, react, bang, right back into the middle of the field in the rhythm of the play,” Canales said. “The rushes were coming. For him to be able to function in that setting was fantastic.”
This report used information from ESPN.
