On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers designated running back Christian McCaffrey to return off the injured reserve.
That, of course, was a necessary step towards the superstar’s comeback after a month-long absence. And, according to head coach Matt Rhule, today’s practice was a necessary and positive step forward as well.
Rhule told reporters that McCaffrey was “pretty limited” in his activity today, but did not suffer any type of setback. The team will continue to monitor his progress throughout the week leading up to Sunday’s matchup with the New England Patriots.
Carolina also has 21 days to move McCaffrey to the active roster upon opening his practice window.
Here’s Wednesday’s injury report from the Panthers.
| Injury | Wed. | Thurs. | Fri. | Game status | |
| CB C.J. Henderson | Shoulder | Full | |||
| LB Shaq Thompson | Foot | Limited | |||
| WR Terrace Marshall Jr. | Concussion | Full | |||
| T Cameron Erving | Knee | Full | |||
| C Matt Paradis | Knee | Full | |||
| CB Stephon Gilmore | Quad | Full | |||
| QB Sam Darnold | Concussion/Right shoulder | Limited | |||
| LB Jermaine Carter Jr. | Ankle | Full | |||
| CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver III | Toe | Limited |
Although lengthy, the list is rather encouraging. Linebacker Shaq Thompson and cornerback Stephon Gilmore both practiced in full following their returns in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons. Additionally, rookie wideout Terrace Marshall Jr. came back as a full participant after having missed the last two games with a concussion.
Darnold’s status, just as McCaffrey’s, remains relatively unclear at this early stage of the week. Backup P.J. Walker received all the first-team reps today.