Panthers weekly NFL notebook: Trio to replace Jeremy Chinn; Laviska Shenault sidelined
The Carolina Panthers were dealt a major blow on Wednesday, as safety Jeremy Chinn was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. The former second-round pick won’t be eligible to return from IR until Week 9 at the earliest.
“Obviously, losing somebody like Jeremy Chinn is difficult, right? He’s a great player,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “But you know, we don’t want to rush it. His health comes first, and I want to make sure he has a chance to heal.”
With Chinn sidelined — with what Rhule categorized as a “really severe hamstring” injury — the Panthers needed to come up with a plan for the safety position for the next month.
The Panthers promoted veteran safety Juston Burris from the practice squad in a corresponding move and re-signed Kenny Robinson to the practice roster to pad the depth at the position.
“At the beginning of the season, we made the decision to keep Juston Burris on the practice squad, knowing that he was a guy that once healthy — because banged up during training camp — we felt like he could play at a really high level in this league,” Rhule said.
Rhule said he is comfortable with the trio of Burris, Myles Hartsfield and Sean Chandler to fill Chinn’s immediate void opposite fellow starter Xavier Woods.
Hartsfield and Chandler rotated opposite Woods following Chinn’s injury in the first quarter of the loss to the Arizona Cardinals this past weekend. Rhule said the duo played well in Chinn’s absence.
“We have a lot of confidence in Myles and Sean, and again, kept Juston for this very reason,” Rhule said. “[Burris] is a tremendous pro and person, and when healthy, can be a really good player.”
Like Burris, both Hartsfield and Chandler have been with the Panthers since 2020.
Chandler played for Rhule in college at Temple before joining the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent. Chandler spent the majority of his first three seasons in the Meadowlands before reuniting with Rhule in Charlotte.
Chandler has played in 51 career games (seven starts) and produced 81 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble during his five-year career.
Chandler emphasized the safety group’s continuity when asked about their confidence in replacing Chinn.
“We’ve all been together — during camp, and from previous years — and we’re just going to out there, and do what we do, and just play football,” Chandler said.
Hartsfield, an Ole Miss alum, is in his third season. He has played in 30 career games (10 starts) and collected 72 tackles, six pass breakups and a forced fumble during his career with Carolina.
A former undrafted free agent, like Chandler, Hartsfield has mostly contributed on special teams and as a backup nickel corner. Rhule and Hartsfield agreed that his cross-training at safety over the years has prepared him for the job.
“It’s a transition that I’m ready for,” Hartsfield said after practice. “Being behind those guys, you just prepare like you’re going to play because you’re one play away from being that guy. And I’m going to take advantage of the opportunity. I know Jeremy and [Woods] and all the safeties are really going to be there to communicate and help each other so we can put the best tape out there.”
Woods, who started the first four games of the season opposite Chinn, was sidelined on Wednesday with a hamstring injury of his own.
While he won’t head to IR like Chinn, his status for Week 5 is up in the air.
“He’ll be day-to-day,” Rhule said. “We’re not sure if he’ll play or not.”
Laviska Shenault and Christian McCaffrey watch practice
As running back Christian McCaffrey observed his weekly veteran day off, Woods and wideout Laviska Shenault Jr. (hamstring) were sidelined with him during practice on Wednesday.
Shenault injured his right hamstring during the 26-16 loss to the Cardinals this past Sunday. He had previously injured his left hamstring during practice in preparation for the Week 4 home loss. With both legs bothering him, the Panthers sidelined the wideout for the first workout of the week.
Along with Woods, Shenault and McCaffrey, five other players popped up on the initial injury report of the week.
Linebackers Frankie Luvu (shoulder) and Shaq Thompson (knee) and defensive end Marquis Haynes (knee) were listed as limited participants. Tight end Stephen Sullivan (back) was designated as a full participant.
Cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver (thigh) was also held out practice after being inactive against the Cardinals.
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Sam Darnold’s return is ‘a ways’ away
Panthers fans hoping for a potential switch at quarterback shouldn’t hold their collective breath. Former starting QB Sam Darnold, who is eligible to return from injured reserve, isn’t close to making a comeback from the high-ankle sprain he suffered in the preseason, according to Rhule.
“I think he’s a ways [away],” Rhule said. “He hasn’t practiced, so even once he’s cleared, it’s about what he looks like, moving around and all of that. Once he’s activated to return to practice, he gets 21 days — and that’s not this week — so I think you’re kind of looking at, do the math. Maybe a week or two from being designated to return, and then trying to get back into it. He’s had a pretty significant injury.”
As incumbent starter Baker Mayfield continues to struggle, the talk around town has been about Darnold’s potential recovery. However, with Darnold still on the shelf, the Mayfield era is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
Mayfield has completed just 54.7% of his passes through four games. His performance against the Cardinals in Week 4 was arguably his worst effort to date in a Panthers uniform.
The performance was so poor that Mayfield and the offense were booed off the field by the home crowd after the game was out of reach. Mayfield threw two game-defining interceptions in the Panthers’ most lopsided loss of the first quarter of the season.
“There’s plays to be made, but we have to make them,” Mayfield said after practice. “And that’s on players. That’s on us, that’s on me as the quarterback and the leader, and just getting it fixed. It’s more frustrating than promising because we’re going into Week 5 right now. Let’s get it fixed. It’s time.”
With Darnold still recovering from his ankle injury, P.J. Walker is the only other quarterback on the active roster behind Mayfield. The Panthers also have former Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks QB Jacob Eason on the practice squad.
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 5:04 PM.
