The Panthers turned to Marco Wilson on Thursday afternoon, elevating him from the practice squad for Week 8 after placing Akayleb Evans on injured reserve. The move came before their game against the Packers and gave them another cornerback for a short-handed trip.
Wilson was not just another body on the roster. He was the most experienced of the six corners on the practice squad this week, with 64 appearances and 37 starts, most of them with Arizona. The Panthers signed him earlier this month after he had previously spent time with the Patriots, Bengals and Dolphins, making him a ready option when the roster tightened again.
That need became harder to ignore when the Panthers flew to Green Bay with only two healthy corners. Will Lee III and Chau Smith-Wade were the only available players at the position, while Damien Lewis and Torricelli Simpkins III were out this week with injuries and the team also had just seven healthy offensive linemen. Wilson’s elevation gave the Panthers a way to cover the week without scrambling at the last minute.
Akayleb Evans had already been ruled out because of knee and triceps injuries, and the injury designation sent him to injured reserve for at least four games. That is the minimum stay on injured reserve, which means the Panthers cannot bring him back before that period ends. For Wilson, the expectation is simpler: he helps fill the gap for Week 8, then likely returns to the practice squad unless the Panthers choose to keep him on the 53-man roster.
