Daewood Davis injury update: Dave Canales shares Panthers wide receiver has 'something in his thigh'
After Carolina Panthers newcomer Daewood Davis went down in practice on Monday, head coach Dave Canales provided a brief update on Tuesday. According to Canales, “something” is amiss with the wide receiver’s thigh and he’s expected to be out for a few weeks, per reports.
“There’s something in his thigh, they’re taking a look at it,” Canales said during his press conference.
Luckily, it doesn’t sound like Davis is at risk of missing significant time during the regular season. However, missing the bulk of the preseason could hurt his chances of making the 53-man roster.
The Panthers signed Davis, a UFL sensation, to add to their depth at wide receiver this offseason. He was spectacular in the new UFL — the spring football merger of the XFL and USFL. He played for the Memphis Showboats, catching 41 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games.
A former undrafted free agent out of Western Kentucky, Davis initially landed a three-year rookie deal with the Miami Dolphins for $2.7 million. However, the Dolphins waived him ahead of the 2023 season. At Western Kentucky, he was a top target for quarterback Austin Reed. After transferring from Oregon, he became an immediate impact player, posting two seasons with more than 700 receiving yards.
Panthers safety Sam Franklin suffers broken foot
The Carolina Panthers have lost safety Sam Franklin for an indefinite amount of time after he suffered a broken foot in training camp. Panthers head coach Dave Canales revealed that Franklin suffered his injury on Saturday, informing the media during his press conference on Monday.
Though the former Temple star could return later in the year, he’s expected to be out for an extended period as the team continues working toward their first preseason game. Canales opened up about the loss on the defense on Monday.
“You can’t replace Sam Franklin. But this is a good opportunity for guys to step up,” Canales said, via Kassidy Hill.
Franklin, an undrafted free agent out of Temple, has spent the first four years of his career with Carolina. The team signed him to a new one-year deal for the 2024 season in March, inking him to a contract worth $2.575 million.
The safety has made nine starts on defense while also heavily contributing to the special teams. Last season, he had 30 tackles, as well as a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. His pick-six came off of former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. It was the longest interception return for a touchdown in franchise history.
Over the first four seasons of his career with the Panthers, Franklin has posted 97 tackles with one interception, one sack, 5.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.