Panthers CB Dane Jackson, TE Ian Thomas return to practice: What that means for Week 5

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Carolina Panthers cornerback Dane Jackson (hamstring) and tight end Ian Thomas (calf) returned to practice on Wednesday following a month-long layover on injured reserve .

While the Panthers have 21 days to activate Jackson and Thomas to their 53-man roster, the players’ respective returns to practice are the first major steps toward having them on the field on Sundays .

If Jackson and/or Thomas get clearance to play this week, they’ll likely suit up against the Chicago Bears in Week 5 at Solider Field.

“We’ve got to see them handle the load of a full week,” head coach Dave Canales said. “So, today’s the first step of it. We’ve got to go Thursday and Friday, running around. How does their body respond, going into the weekend? So we can make those decisions and make sure we’re doing the right thing for them. This is the first time they are playing football.”

Both Thomas and Jackson sustained their injuries during the latter half of training camp. While Jackson took part in the team’s preseason opener against New England, he was sidelined for the majority of the exhibition slate, as was Thomas.

Panthers get two starters back at practice

Jackson was signed to a two-year deal in March to be the No. 2 cornerback opposite Jaycee Horn in the secondary. But with Jackson sidelined in the summer , general manager Dan Morgan made a trade to acquire Mike Jackson from the Seattle Seahawks to help improve the depth at the position.

Mike Jackson has started at cornerback during the first four weeks of the season. He has done a relatively strong job opposite Horn and produced his second career interception against the Raiders in a Week 3 win in Las Vegas.

When Dane Jackson returns to the fold, the Panthers will need to decide whether he or Mike Jackson will start at the No. 2 cornerback spot. That said, having two Jacksons worthy of starting at the position is a good problem to have at this point.

Thomas’s future in the lineup is a bit more certain. While Tommy Tremble is the clear No. 1 tight end, rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders has filled the role of the No. 2 player at the position in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE) looks.

Thomas returning would give the Panthers a better blocking complement to Tremble, which could free up the latter up more pass-catching opportunities. The Panthers appreciate Thomas’s blocking prowess as well as his special teams work.

“Their (bodies) are ready, but there is a contact adaptation that happens with push, pull, tug,” Canales said in reference to Thomas and Dane Jackson. “It’s kind of like you can run all you want, but if you go play basketball, that first time, you’re going to be really sore. The movements are different when you’re having to face somebody on a regular basis.”

The Panthers are also monitoring the potential return of rookie defensive end Jaden Crumedy.

The team’s sixth-round draft choice would be another welcome return, as the team is dealing with the absence of Pro Bowl lineman Derrick Brown (knee / IR).

Handful of Panthers starters missing from practice

While Thomas and Jackson returned to practice, the team was without a handful of starters during the workout.

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle), pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney (rest), cornerback Troy Hill (rest), linebacker Josey Jewell (groin/hamstring), and defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (rest) were all missing from drills.

Canales said he expects Johnson to play on Sunday, but the receiver was feeling soreness in his ankle so he was sidelined as a precaution. The head coach called Johnson “the starting point” of the passing offense.

Nose tackle Shy Tuttle (foot) and left guard Damien Lewis (elbow) returned to practice in a limited capacity after missing Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Tuttle has missed the past two matchups for the Panthers but was not put on injured reserve.

Linebacker Shaq Thompson (Achilles) underwent season-ending surgery on Wednesday, according to Canales. Thompson called Canales after the workout, following his surgery, to get an update on how practice went without him.

“For a first-time head coach, I can’t say enough about what it means for a veteran guy like Shaq Thompson to send me texts after the games, to support the messaging going to the rest of the guys, to embody, to play with the style we’re looking for all across the board, ” Canales said. “And really, just be such a leader and a team guy. So, somebody we’re really going to miss. And it just meant a lot to me that he checked in.”

Below is the team’s Wednesday full injury report:

Did not participate: OLB Jadeveon Clowney (rest), WR Dionate Johnson (ankle), CB Troy Hill (rest), LB Shaq Thompson (Achilles), DE A’Shawn Robinson (rest), LB Josey Jewell (hamstring/groin)

Limited: NT Shy Tuttle (foot), G Damien Lewis (shoulder), OLB Charles Harris (shoulder), G Robert Hunt (hip), S Nick Scott (shoulder)

Full: DB Lonnie Johnson (hip)

Andy Dalton’s victory checklist

Andy Dalton’s 2024 revival tour will have four notable reunion matchups. He will play each of his former teams if he remains the starting QB through the end of the season.

He lost to the Cincinnati Bengals this past weekend but will face off against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The game will have meaning because he has friends in the area, but also because the Bears are one of three teams, according to Dalton, that he hasn’t defeated in his career.

“I think that’s kind of the bigger thing,” Dalton said about beating the Bears. “I’ve got friends and people who are there, who are going to come to the game, and it’ll be fun to see those guys. But I enjoyed my time in Chicago, and it’ll be fun to be there.”

The other two teams that Dalton hasn’t defeated are the Dallas Cowboys, another former team of the quarterback’s, and the Panthers. While he won’t get the chance to beat his current squad this season, the Panthers will face the Cowboys in Week 15.

“I do know the teams that I haven’t beat,” Dalton said, “cause there aren’t that many of them.”

Dalton also played for the New Orleans Saints, who visit Charlotte in Week 9.

Dalton has gone 1-1 through his first two games as starting QB since he was promoted to the top job in Week 3.

He has also received the support of Bryce Young, who was benched in favor of the veteran gunslinger.

“It’s meant so much,” Dalton said. “For him to handle the situation the way he has, and for him to still have so much support for, not only me but for this team — I mean he’s still doing a lot of the same things that he was doing before the switch happened.

“The type of person that he is, that wasn’t going to change, based off of his situation. So, I’ve been really appreciative of that. And, I mean, honestly, everything going on probably made our friendship even strong, because of it.”

Quick hits

▪ Cornerback Caleb Farley, who was signed to the practice squad on Tuesday, is wearing No. 31. The Maiden, N.C., native will look to earn a promotion on the practice squad after fizzling out of Tennessee with a litany of injuries. Farley, a 2021 first-round pick, played just 12 games (two starts) during his three years with the Titans before being waived in August.

▪ Despite being eligible to practice this week, outside linebackers D.J. Wonnum (quad/PUP) and Amare Barno (knee/PUP) and running back Jonathon Brooks (knee/NFI) did not have their 21-day practice windows activated on Wednesday. That was expected, as Canales said Brooks and Wonnum would not return on Monday.

▪ Follow Observer reporters Mike Kaye ( @mike_e_kaye ) and Alex Zietlow ( @alexzietlow05 ), and columnist Scott Fowler ( @scott_fowler ), on X, formerly known as Twitter, for the Panthers’ latest news and highlights.