Panthers’ Cornerback Depth Takes a Hit with Backup Out for 2025 Season
The Carolina Panthers are already facing a setback in their cornerback depth before the season officially kicks off.
According to The Athletic’s Joseph Person, cornerback Damarri Mathis will miss the entire 2025 season after tearing his ACL. The 26-year-old, who was claimed by the Panthers just last week after being waived by the Denver Broncos, suffered the injury on a non-contact play during practice on Wednesday. He is set to undergo season-ending surgery.
Mathis, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh, spent his first three seasons with the Broncos. After being released by Denver in late August, he joined the Panthers in an effort to bolster their cornerback depth.
Now, with Mathis out for the year, the Panthers will lean on Akayleb Evans, Jaycee Horn, Michael Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade, Corey Thornton, and Kalen King, who is currently on the practice squad, to handle the cornerback duties.
There is also a chance the Panthers could bring in a free-agent cornerback, but with their Week 1 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars fast approaching, any move may come later on. The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for Mathis, as he’s also set to become a free agent next spring.
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