Key Carolina Panthers offensive lineman returns to practice after 9-month ACL recovery
Help is on the way for the Carolina Panthers’ offensive line.
Austin Corbett, the team’s veteran right guard who missed the offseason and spent the first four weeks of the 2023 campaign on the physically unable to perform list, hit a milestone in his long recovery from injury this week. Specifically, the Panthers opened a 21-day window for Corbett to practice on Wednesday.
No one was happier to return than Corbett himself.
”Getting into a fully padded day for the first time,” Corbett said, smiling and shaking his head outside of his locker. “The body is going to do what it does. They (coaches and medical staff) wouldn’t be letting me do it if I wasn’t able to do it. So I can just go out there and play and don’t have to worry about anything.”
Head coach Frank Reich dropped a few hints about Corbett’s health status Monday, cryptically admitting that his return to practice “could be very soon.” No date is prioritized or contest is circled for Corbett’s gameday return — Corbett joked that he’d be going through a “training camp” of his own to get his body up to speed — but everything seems hopeful nonetheless.
Corbett said that the plan is to go through the next few weeks and evaluate his progress during the bye Week 7.
“His work to get back here, he should be commended for it,” Reich said. “We’ll let the process play out to see how fast he can get back out there.”
Austin Corbett could give Panthers offense some mojo
Corbett tore his ACL during the final game of the 2022 season. His presence has been missed for the subsequent nine months.
The offensive line — particularly what the offense will do at the right guard position — has been a talking point all season. It started in the first game of the preseason, when the unit had a postgame meeting that took a “that-was-unacceptable” tone.
The unit has sustained its fair share of lumps throughout the start of the regular season, too, even through this past Sunday. The Panthers only notched 83 rushing yards against the Vikings — and not for a lack of trying as they ran the ball 31 times to nearly match their 32 throws — and they saw rookie quarterback Bryce Young sacked five times, including twice in the last three plays.
Corbett, who has been an active leader even without pads on this offseason and season, attributed a lot of the line’s underperformance to his teammates overthinking and second-guessing themselves.
“We’re in meetings, and we see that we’re not having missed assignments,” Corbett said. “We’re not making these mental errors. They’re just thinking too much. I mean, you go out there, and you just play. And that’s what these guys are capable of, and I have full confidence in them that it’s going to start today with just getting out there, just having good energy every single day, and not worrying about things in the past. Once it’s gone, there’s nothing you can do about it. Learn from it, move on, and just enjoy the moment.
“Because this business really does suck at times. And you don’t know when it’s going to go. So just enjoy the moment, enjoy the rep, and go from there.”
Bryce Young loves Corbett’s leadership
Bradley Bozeman, the team’s starting center, agreed with his veteran teammate. He applauded Corbett for his leadership while he’s been sidelined and looks forward to having him line up beside him soon.
“I can’t wait to have that guy back. It’s going to be really good,” Bozeman said. “It’s not a knock on any of the guys who are in here now, but if he’s your starter, he’s your starter. So we’re excited to potentially get him back pretty soon.”
If Corbett’s injury wasn’t enough bad luck — Corbett pointed out that it isn’t necessarily common for offensive linemen to tear their ACL — the Panthers’ offensive line has suffered more attrition recently. Brady Christensen suffered a season-ending biceps injury a few weeks ago.
And yet despite a lot of the things to be doom-and-gloom about the unit, the team’s rookie quarterback has been nothing but positive. The No. 1 overall pick even shouldered the blame for a bulk of the sacks this past weekend.
Young said Corbett was “obviously someone we miss,” but that his presence was always felt.
“Obviously I haven’t played with him yet, but he’s still had a really big impact on us, as a team, as a unit, and with the offensive line,” Young said. “The way that he leads, if you didn’t know (his injury status), if you just walked in, you would never have guessed he’s not playing.”
Other Carolina Panthers roster notes
- Tight end Stephen Sullivan, who started the season on the IR, had his 21-day window opened, too.
- Cornerback Donte Jackson, who sustained a shoulder injury in the first half of the Panthers’ Week 5 contest and didn’t return for the second half, was limited in practice Wednesday.
- Rookie wide receiver Jonathan Mingo was also practicing Wednesday after being inactive Sunday. He spent most of last week in concussion protocol.
This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 11:54 AM.
