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Panthers HC Dave Canales drops hint on who may start at position of need
TL;DR
Panthers head coach Dave Canales hints that Corey Thornton may start at slot cornerback. Thornton, who impressed during his rookie season, is in competition with Chau Smith-Wade for the position.
Key points
- Dave Canales hints at Corey Thornton starting at slot cornerback
- Thornton impressed during rookie minicamp and last season
- Competition exists with Chau Smith-Wade for the position
Carolina PanthersCorey ThorntonChau Smith-WadeSan Francisco 49ers
The Carolina Panthers may have had their starting nickel all along.
Despite piecing together one of the most impressive offseasons in the NFL, the Panthers have seemingly neglected to address their weakness at slot cornerback. But head coach Dave Canales, when speaking with reporters following the team's second outing of rookie minicamp on Saturday, might've hinted at a solution that was already in place.
"That position right there—we have Chau [Smith-Wade] coming back," Canales stated. "We have Corey Thornton, who really won the job during the season last year and got an opportunity until he got hurt. So there's a great competition already happening."
Thornton signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent last spring, and proceeded to turn heads during workouts through the summer. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder went on to appear in eight contests as rookie before sustaining a broken fibula in Carolina's Week 12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The game prior saw Thornton record a career-high 46 defensive snaps during a 30-27 win over the Atlanta Falcons. His efforts in that victory earned him a 70.1 overall defensive grade and a 75.8 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
Smith-Wade ended up as the unit's primary defender from the slot in 2025. He finished the campaign with a team-leading 366 snaps from the inside.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire:
Q&A
Who is likely to start at slot cornerback for the Panthers?
Corey Thornton is likely to start at slot cornerback, as hinted by head coach Dave Canales.
What injury did Corey Thornton sustain last season?
Corey Thornton sustained a broken fibula during a Week 12 loss against the San Francisco 49ers.
What did Dave Canales say about the competition at cornerback?
Dave Canales mentioned that there is a great competition for the slot cornerback position, highlighting both Corey Thornton and Chau Smith-Wade.
