The Carolina Panthers may be down yet another starter.
According to ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, safety Xavier Woods is expected to miss “extended time” due to his hamstring injury. Fowler even noted that one source believes it could be a four- to-six-week absence for the veteran defensive back.
Woods made an early exit from this past Sunday’s 37-27 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He played in 16 snaps before his afternoon was prematurely ended.
The 28-year-old, who is currently in his second season in Charlotte, was off to a stellar start. In his two games prior to Week 3, he had recorded 10 combined tackles and two passes defensed while earning a pair of top-five defensive grades for the team from Pro Football Focus.
Carolina’s secondary is already without cornerback Jaycee Horn, who is recovering from a hamstring injury of his own. They are, additionally, likely to be without linebacker Shaq Thompson (fibula) for the remainder of the season.
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