The Carolina Panthers are planning to add some offensive reinforcements to the backfield after a Week 1 loss to division rivals Atlanta. Former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen is expected to sign with the Panthers on Wednesday, according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Cohen hasn’t played in the NFL since September 2020. Then, as a member of the Bears, he suffered a severe knee injury.
Cohen suffered a torn MCL and ACL and a tibial plateau fracture, sidelining him for a number of seasons.
Turning 28 over the summer, Cohen was a productive player for the Bears prior to his injury as a change-of-pace and then more full-time running back. He’s also just 5 feet, 6 inches tall.
In 2018, Cohen earned 1st team All Pro recognition as a returner. He tallied 444 yards on the ground and added 725 as a receiver while scoring eight total touchdowns. He also returned 33 punts for 441 yards that season.
The Panthers running game was not inadequate on Sunday in the season opener, rushing for 154 yards at 4.8 yards per carry. But with the offensive struggling overall — just 10 points — any help for rookie quarterback Bryce Young will be welcome in Carolina.
The Panthers will be down a top cornerback for the time being
Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn will miss multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday. He suffered the injury on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Horn went down with the injury in the second quarter of the game — a 24-10 Atlanta victory. He didn’t return, and Panthers coach Frank Reich confirmed it was a hamstring injury during the postgame press conference.
Horn is in his third season in the NFL after Carolina drafted him No. 8 out of South Carolina. He has appeared in just 17 games, though, as he dealt with multiple injuries during his first two years in the league. This offseason, he dealt with an ankle and foot injury that kept him out of OTAs and minicamp, as well.
Last year was Horn’s best in the NFL as he totaled 53 tackles and three interceptions across 13 games. He had one tackle in the loss to the Falcons, but now it’s looking like the Panthers will be without him for some time. With Horn out, the Panthers will be doing some roster shuffling if he goes on injured reserve
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