Carolina Panthers place another starter on injured reserve

The Carolina Panthers entered the season as one of the hottest teams in the NFL, but injuries and a barrage of other issues have left the coaching staff searching for answers.

On Tuesday, the team received more brutal news.

“The Panthers are placing CB Donte Jackson (groin) on injured reserve, another starter headed to the sidelines,” NFL Insider Ian Rappaport tweeted on Tuesday.

Jackson suffered a groin injury late in the Panthers’ 33-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He had an MRI on Monday afternoon, which revealed the severity of the injury.

The good news is the Carolina Panthers have options at cornerback and it is one of their deepest positions. The Panthers drafted rookie cornerbacks Jaycee Horn (first round) and Keith Taylor Jr. (fifth round), and traded for C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore this season. Gilmore will be a free agent this offseason, but he also is an option to re-sign. They also have veteran A.J. Bouye. Jackson played well early in the 2021 season. He has two interceptions and a forced fumble this year and has 12 picks in his four NFL seasons, the most of any player in the 2018 NFL Draft class.

By going to injured reserve, Jackson is out for the remainder of the season and could have played his last snap in Charlotte. He is set to become a free agent this offseason.

Carolina Panthers lose McCaffrey for season

The Jackson news comes less than 24 hours after the Panthers’ announced they had placed star running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve.

Panthers’ head coach Matt Rhule initially told reporters that McCaffrey’s sprained ankle doesn’t appear serious. His X-rays came back negative but they were still waiting for a more specific diagnosis. McCaffrey ran for 35 yards on 10 attempts prior to the injury.

After undergoing the initial X-rays, McCaffrey also took an MRI exam, which revealed a more serious injury.

The hits for the Carolina Panthers just keep coming. The fan base is ready to win now, but the trajectory of the franchise appears to be going backwards.