Carolina Panthers Safety Kurt Coleman Suffers MCL Sprain, Out for a Month
Carolina Panthers free safety Kurt Coleman could be out an extended period of time.
The team has confirmed that Coleman sprained his left medial collateral ligament (MCL) in their game against the New England Patriots last Sunday, and he may have to miss a month of action as he continues to recover from the injury.
Coleman went down with the injury in the second quarter of Sunday's game and undrafted rookie safety Demetrious Cox came in to replace him. Cox played 38 defensive snaps against the Patriots and he finished the game with four tackles.
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With Coleman on the sidelines, Cox should get the start at free safety alongside strong safety Mike Adams when the Panthers take on the Detroit Lions this Sunday.
"Those guys are here because we believe in them. When you see them out there, it's not just a mere fact that we're throwing them out there. Those guys get extra meeting time. They come in early, they stay late," defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said of Cox and newly-acquired cornerback Kevon Seymour, via ESPN.
Veteran safety Colin Jones could see an increase in playing time as well in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Panthers have announced that they have decided to sign free agent safety Jairus Byrd since Coleman is facing a lengthy absence.
"We wanted to sit down, visit with him, see where he was in terms of knowing our system and learning our system — how capable he would be. It turns out he was exactly what we were looking for. That's why we went out and got him," Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said, via the team's official website.
Byrd's injury history is a cause for concern, but he is still a productive player if he stays healthy. Interestingly, Byrd is Panthers assistant defensive backs coach Richard Rodgers' nephew.
