So far in training camp, the Panthers have lost starting Nose Tackle Maake Kemoeatu for the season to a torn Achilles tendon. Linebackers Jon Beason and Thomas Davis have been nicked-up and have missed time. Beason tweaked a hammy the first day of camp and returned to practice Monday after missing a full week. What’s next?
What’s next is an injury to one of the players the Panthers can ill-afford to lose, pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith. In Monday nights practice Smith got tangled-up with CB Chris Gamble during a passing drill and came down awkwardly on his shoulder, wincing in pain. X-Rays came back negative.
“Steve has a high threshold of pain, and he’s in a lot of pain, so something’s off-kilter,” said Coach John Fox.
As of Tuesday morning, it is not known whether Smith will undergo an MRI to better understand if there is damage to tendons or cartilage that cannot be uncovered in an X-Ray.
Reports out of Panthers camp are that Smith has a strained shoulder and will at least miss the first 2 pre-season games and maybe more.
With the injury scares thus far and the lack of depth behind the starters, Panthers fans and some media have been speculating how much Panthers starters will play in preseason, with some fans hoping not at all. Fox is typically very secretive and vague about game week plans, so we likely will not know until this weekend how much the starters will play this Monday against the Giants.
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