Panthers monitoring ‘day to day’ injuries after 49ers. One player out for the year
The Carolina Panthers exited their Monday night game under the national spotlight with a loss, a suspension and a rash of injuries.
And one of those injuries is officially season-ending.
Head coach Dave Canales told reporters Tuesday that cornerback Corey Thornton broke his fibula — an injury that will require surgery.
The news is tough to swallow considering Thornton has played a bunch at nickel corner the past two weeks and has done so with aplomb. In the 49ers’ contest, specifically, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound defender recorded two tackles and was a key part of a defense that forced three interceptions and held star running back Christian McCaffrey in check for most of the game.
The 24-year-old product out of Louisville recorded a career-high 46 defensive snaps in Carolina’s win over the Atlanta Falcons and played so well that he was singled out by Canales afterward. He recorded 32 defensive snaps prior to his exit Monday.
Thornton went down in the fourth quarter — well into a game that featured many other key injuries along this defense, of which Canales said he’ll give further updates on Wednesday.
Among those other injuries to monitor from Monday:
- Cornerback Jaycee Horn didn’t return to the game after his two-interception first half after suffering from concussion-like symptoms when the team filed into the halftime locker room. He is “day-to-day,” according to Canales.
- Linebacker Claudin Cherelus also didn’t return to the contest after sustaining a concussion in the second half Monday. He, too, is “day-to-day.” Cherelus will be missed among the linebacker corps — he has stepped in well in the injured stead of starters Trevin Wallace (shoulder, week-to-week) and Christian Rozeboom (hamstring, day-to-day). He’s also a key special teams player for the Panthers.
- Safety Tre’Von Moehrig has been suspended a game for his “act of unsportsmanlike conduct” — punching 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings in the crotch — but is also dealing with an ankle injury that is keeping him “day to day,” Canales said. Canales said he did not yet know if Moehrig was planning to appeal the decision.
- Guard Chandler Zavala suffered a calf injury on the first play of the second half Monday and did not return. Canales did not provide an update on Zavala on Tuesday. The third-year interior offensive lineman has been in and out of the lineup all year with injuries. If starting center Cade Mays returns to the lineup against the Rams, and Zavala can’t go, it’s conceivable Austin Corbett will move from center to right guard in the starting lineup.
Panthers sign another linebacker
The Panthers signed former Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons to the practice squad Tuesday, the team announced, as Carolina works through several injuries along the linebacking corps. The Panthers released safety Trevian Thomas to make room for the transaction.
