The soft tissue injury bug has bitten the Carolina Panthers.
And it has bitten the team badly.
After Thursday's joint practice, Dave Canales provided an update on injuries to starting cornerback Dane Jackson and starting safety Xavier Woods.
Jackson was injured Wednesday, and Canales said it looks like an injury that will keep him out for the foreseeable future.
Specifically, Canales said the injury to Jackson was "significant" and could keep him out for up to six weeks. Ouch.
Regarding Woods, Canales admitted it "was a little more serious than we thought," and Woods will miss at least a couple of weeks.
That leaves the Panthers without one secondary starter and possibly two for the Sept. 8 opener at the New Orleans Saints.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has stated that he considers backup Nick Scott to be a safety of starting caliber, but the depth at corner is not as well-established.
That makes veteran Stephon Gilmore an intriguing option at corner. Though he remains without a contract.
If the Panthers stay with their current roster, the top candidates to start opposite Jaycee Horn are inexperienced Lamar Jackson, Troy Hill, Dicaprio Bootle and D'Shawn Jamison.
Already, on Wednesday, the Panthers added depth to the defensive back room. It looks like the team will be needing more.
