CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Star Lotulelei is out for at least three weeks recovering from a stress reaction on his right foot and Kawann Short has missed the first four days of training camp with back spasms.
That leaves the Carolina Panthers without their starting defensive tackles in training camp.
Lotulelei left the field on Monday with soreness in his foot that underwent surgery to repair a fracture prior to a playoff game against Seattle in January. X-rays revealed what team officials called the stress reaction.
A stress reaction is considered the lowest grade of three levels of bone injury. According to the Sports Medicine Corner, a stress reaction is "the early stages of a stress fracture."
Lotulelei was wearing a walking boot on Monday and noticeably limping. He will be evaluated in three weeks.
Short arrived at camp with a back issue that coach Ron Rivera doesn’t believe to be serious. He said Short is "close" to being able to practice.
What do these injuries mean, at least in the short term?
Veterans Colin Cole and Dwan Edwards are a part of Carolina’s four-man rotation, but the Panthers don’t want to wear them out with extra reps in the extreme heat of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Cole is 35 and Edwards 34.
Kyle Love, Terry Redden, Micanor Regis and Chase Alecxih are the only other defensive tackles on the roster. They will get extra reps and have a chance to prove themselves, and perhaps one makes the 53-man roster.
If it is determined Short, scheduled to be evaluated today in Charlotte as Carolina takes a day off from practice, is going to miss much more time, the Panthers might have to add a tackle just to get through practice and early preseason games.
