About 18 hours after we felt the first gust of wind regarding Sam Darnold’s right shoulder injury, the Carolina Panthers confirmed the disappointing news for their starting quarterback.
On Wednesday, head coach Matt Rhule told reporters that Darnold’s timetable for recovery is not exactly known, but he is expected to miss “at least four weeks.” The fourth-year passer, following two days of extensive testing, was diagnosed with a fracture in his scapula.
Rhule also added he expects Darnold to be placed on the injured reserve. Backup P.J. Walker will take the reins starting in Week 10 with the newly-signed Matt Barkley behind him.
Here’s how the rest of the injury report looked on the day:
| Injury | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. | Game status | |
| DE Brian Burns | Foot | DNP | |||
| QB Sam Darnold | Right shoulder | DNP | |||
| LB Frankie Luvu | Knee | DNP | |||
| CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III | Toe | DNP | |||
| CB Rashaan Melvin | Hand | Limited | |||
| CB C.J. Henderson | Shoulder | Full | |||
| LB Shaq Thompson | Knee | Full | |||
| LB Jermaine Carter Jr. | Groin | Full |
Burns, obviously, is the other name that jumps off the page.
The stud pass rusher was not a participant in practice due to his ankle injury. Burns left Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots on two occasions, the first of which came after a controversial takedown by quarterback Mac Jones.
Rhule did compare Burns to Wolverine, stating his ability to “regenerate” off injuries. A determination on his status, however, may take the entire lead-up into the trip to Arizona.
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