How this week’s injury report affects our picks
The future is now for the Carolina Panthers. For what feels like the first week this season, the Panthers did not put any starters on injured reserve. They are, instead, opening the practice window for several players to return from IR. Those players include team captain and special teams ace Sam Franklin and the much anticipated rookie running back Jonathon Brooks.
Let’s take a look at how this week’s rash of devastating injuries returning talent will affect the Week 7 outlook:
Jonathon Brooks
Brooks is no guarantee to return this week, but you can feel the excitement around the organization when they talk about him. If it’s not this week then next week has a good shot at being Brooks’ debut in the NFL.
Everbody from coaches to players, including Chuba Hubbard, are buzzing about his return. Let’s just imagine for a moment that all of the touches currently going to Miles Sanders in a given game are going to go, instead, to a dynamic and successful runner in Brooks. Reality may fall short of that hallowed vision, but you can’t prove it yet so I’m going to run with it.
Sam Franklin Jr.
Franklin was a full participant at Wednesday’s practice and is expected back on the field on Sunday. There is a strong chance he provides a boost at safety as well as his expected return to special teams.
The Panthers have struggled with communication in their secondary in recent weeks. Franklin is a veteran who has been around a lot of dysfunctional teams and is highly valued for his leadership. I expect him to play at safety and I expect the team to look better when he is on the field.
Everybody else
The Panthers listed 18 players on their injury report yesterday. Three were full participants in practice, two were just veteran rest days, and six were listed as limited participants. That leaves seven players who did not participate in practice, including starters Josey Jewell, Diontae Johnson, Taylor Moton, A’Shawn Robinson, and Jadaveon Clowney. That list also includes three of the top four inside linebackers (Jon Rhattigan and Claudin Cherelus, in addition to Jewel). For the record, there are only five ILBs listed on the roster.
The bottom line
The Washington Commanders had three players held out of practice. One was a rest day and one, defensive end Dorance Armstrong, was an injured starter. These teams are not the same pictures of health.
Unless the injured Panthers starters on defense take big and simultaneous steps forward with their respective injuries, I think we can all expect Carolina to allow another rookie quarterback to score on them on almost every possession.
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