The Secondary’s Lack of Depth

Carolina’s secondary has been much improved in 2018, but struggled mightily on Sunday. Rookie cornerback Donte Jackson went down with a quadriceps injury on the game’s first play, forcing the seldom-used Corn Elder into action.

Jackson’s status for Week 13 is still up in the air. However, even if he is able to return, Panthers fans will likely be holding their breath.

Jackson and fellow starting cornerback James Bradberry are having strong seasons. Safety Eric Reid has also made some big plays for the Panthers since they signed him earlier this season. But beyond that, there are all kinds of question marks surrounding Carolina’s secondary.

If someone like Jackson or Bradberry is forced to miss significant time — or any time at all, for that matter — the Panthers can probably kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. They simply can’t afford to lose anyone from their secondary, which remains the weakest part of their defense despite a significant improvement over the past two seasons.

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