The Panthers just finished off another impressive win, but it might have come at a cost.
Defensive end Charles Johnson, their highest-paid player, was hauled off the field on a cart with a groin injury in the final moments of a game that seemed like it wouldn’t die.
“There’s concern. We’ll see,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said, via Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer.
Losing Johnson would be a huge hit for a Panthers defense which has played at a high level all season.
Johnson had a pair of sacks Thursday night, giving him 6.0 on the season and 39.0 since the start of the 2010 season, when he became a full-time starter. But he’s also an excellent run defender, the kind of two-way player that’s hard to replace.