The Carolina Panthers have placed two defensive backs on injured reserve after Week 3.
The Carolina Panthers enter Week 4's primetime showdown with the Detroit Lions at 1-2 and fresh off a loss in Cleveland to the Browns. After a promising win in Week 2, the Panthers missed a big opportunity on the road.
But they will have to quickly move on as they have a very tough game against the Lions coming up. Carolina will host Sunday Night Football for the first time in 10 years and it could be a very important game in terms of NFC tiebreakers later in the year.
However, before the Week 4 game, the Panthers made some roster moves and they aren't good.
The Panthers officially placed starting defensive backs Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on injured reserve. Both players left Sunday's loss to Cleveland with injuries and did not return to the game. Now, they are out at least four games and it's a huge hit to the secondary in Carolina.
Horn suffered a quad injury in the game and wasn't able to return. He's been Carolina's best defensive back since he arrived as a first-round pick a few years ago. Without Horn, the Panthers' secondary may have a weak spot and they lose a shutdown corner for a period of time.
As for Jackson, he left the game with a groin injury, and after the game, head coach Dave Canales mentioned that he wasn't close to returning to play. That was an early indicator in terms of how severe the injury was before Wednesday's news.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting that the Panthers are hoping to get Jackson back at some point in November.
In the corresponding moves, the Panthers promoted wide receiver David Moore and running back Tre Tyus to the 53 from the practice squad and added defensive back Robert Rochell to the practice squad.
Carolina's secondary has issues now
These injuries are an issue for Carolina. The next four weeks present some tough games and matchups. That starts this week against a Detroit Lions offense that is third in the NFL in points per game at 31.0. The Lions defense might be struggling but that offense is among the best in the league so far.
After that, they head to Philadelphia to face the Eagles before hosting Tampa Bay and then heading to Green Bay for Thursday Night Football. They may not have to face Baker Mayfield but they do see Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love, two quarterbacks who can beat you through the air.
Time will tell if this secondary can hold up enough to keep them in games.
