Breaking down Panthers’ five major offseason injuries and their impact on depth chart
The Panthers’ organized team activities are underway, and the team is monitoring a handful of notable injuries as it takes the field for workouts.
Although the attendance during the voluntary offseason program has been near perfect, there have been significant absences from field drills because of offseason surgeries and carry-over injuries from last season.
Below are the notable Panthers who have been sidelined during the offseason program:
Brian Burns
Injury: Offseason ankle surgery
Current edge depth chart: Marquis Haynes, DJ Johnson, Yetur Gross-Matos, Amare Barno, Kobe Jones, Eku Leota, Jordan Thomas
Burns underwent ankle surgery in April. According to the Panthers, he is expected to be back in the lineup for training camp. In the meantime, Burns has been watching from the sideline and chatting with teammates during workouts.
Burns’ status leaves the Panthers without their top pass rusher as they transition to a 3-4 defense. However, with Burns not involved in drills, others are being given the opportunity to work more on the field. Gross-Matos, Johnson and Thomas are all considered projects at the outside linebacker spot, so their added reps could be beneficial ahead of training camp.
Gross-Matos’ conversion to outside linebacker is one of the more notable storylines this offseason. A traditional 4-3 defensive end, Gross-Matos has an awkward body type for the position. Listed as 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds (note: he might have lost weight for the new role this offseason), he looks too bulky to move in space the way the position requires. Still, with Burns out, Gross-Matos has been able to be on the field regularly to feel out his transition to the new position.
Johnson and Thomas are former tight ends who have converted to the position. Johnson, the team’s third-round pick in April, only played one full season as a pass rusher at Oregon. The pair of project players are getting added snaps to bridge the gap in their respective learning curves.
Haynes, a longtime Panthers pass rusher, is also benefiting from Burns’ temporary absence. Haynes has been able to lead the group, as he is the most accomplished player at the position and is a more natural fit for it than most on the depth chart.
Hayden Hurst
Injury: Offseason sports hernia surgery
Current tight end depth chart: Ian Thomas, Tommy Tremble, Stephen Sullivan, Giovanni Ricci
On Monday, head coach Frank Reich confirmed that Hurst underwent sports hernia surgery this offseason.
Hurst, a notable free-agent addition, has yet to appear on the field while media has been present during the offseason program. However, on Tuesday, the team’s Twitter account a posted picture of Hurst — with a helmet — at a workout.
With Hurst sidelined, the Panthers have focused on a quartet of tenured talent at tight end. Thomas, Tremble, Sullivan and Ricci have been in Carolina for multiple seasons, and they are now looking to prove themselves to a new coaching staff.
Following the first OTA workout, Reich said he’s been pleased with the group during the program.
Austin Corbett
Injury: Offseason ACL surgery
Current guard depth chart: Brady Christensen, Cade Mays, Chandler Zavala, Justin McCray, Michael Jordan, Deonte Brown, Nash Jensen
Corbett sustained a torn ACL during last season’s finale against the New Orleans Saints in January. Following surgery, the Panthers seem optimistic about his recovery timeline. However, Reich has said Corbett will miss regular-season action this fall.
The team has starting left guard Christensen in the lineup during OTAs, despite his significant leg injury from the finale against New Orleans. On the right side, second-year lineman Mays has been filling in for Corbett at right guard. Mays impressed while filling in for Corbett last season, and he will get every chance to replace him — temporarily — this summer.
Carolina selected Zavala in the fourth round to push Christensen and Mays and serve as a notable depth piece on the line. It would not be surprising to see Zavala compete with Christensen for the starting left guard job in training camp, as the rookie primarily played at that position in college. Zavala has also played left guard next to left tackle Ikem Ekwonu before, as the former N.C. State teammates have reunited this offseason.
The Panthers also have a pair of veteran backups in McCray and Jordan. McCray has worked for offensive line coach James Campen in two other stops, and Jordan played for him in Carolina last season. If the any of the Panthers sustain an injury at the top of the depth chart, Jordan and McCray are solid insurance to serve as primary depth pieces.
Donte Jackson
Injury: Achilles surgery
Current cornerback depth chart: Jaycee Horn, CJ Henderson, Keith Taylor, Stantley Thomas-Oliver, Herb Miller, Rejzohn Wright, Mark Milton, Colby Richardson
Jackson tore his left Achilles in November. He underwent surgery during the season and is still recovering from the procedure. While he has been out on the field in his uniform, Jackson has not participated in team drills with the media present.
With Jackson out, Henderson and Taylor have played more snaps. Both Henderson and Taylor struggled with consistency last season, and they are looking to prove themselves to new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.
The Panthers’ cornerback group is light on proven talent, especially with Jackson out of the lineup. While Horn is easily the best player at the position, the rest of the group is competing for playing time. Henderson just had his fifth-year option declined, while Taylor and Thomas-Oliver are fighting to stick around after multiple seasons in Carolina.
Wright, Milton and Richardson are undrafted rookies learning to sneak onto the 53-man roster. The Panthers could use some veteran help for this group.
DJ Chark
Injury: Offseason ankle surgery
Current wide receiver depth chart: Adam Thielen, Terrace Marshall, Jonathan Mingo, Laviska Shenault, Damiere Byrd, Shi Smith, C.J. Saunders, Gary Jennings, Derek Wright, Marquez Stevenson, Josh Vann
Chark underwent ankle surgery earlier this offseason to fix a nagging injury. Reich said in March that Chark should be able to participate in OTAs this month. On Monday, Chark brought his helmet to practice, but didn’t participate in team drills.
With Chark working his way back, Thielen and Marshall have led the wideout group this offseason. Mingo was selected in the second round in April to be a future starter, and he has already made some impressive plays in the short time he’s been around the program.
Shenault has been brought up a few times by Reich in press conferences this offseason. That’s a good sign for the fourth-year receiver as he battles for a depth spot with Byrd, Smith, Saunders and others.
To start OTAs, the Panthers split up the first- and second-team groups from the third-string players. The separate third-team reps will give guys like Wright, Stevenson, Jennings and Vann extra snaps before training camp.
