Panthers’ Claudin Cherelus deflects defense’s challenges

DONALD WATKINS | THE CHARLOTTE POST

Carolina Panthers linebacker Claudin Cherelus (53) is getting in more playing time since injuries decimated the team's depth at the position. Cherelus, a second-year professional who was undrafted after playing at Alcorn State,  tallied nine tackles in Sunday's 30-14 loss to Dallas.

Late in the second quarter of his second NFL start, Carolina Panthers linebacker Claudin Cherelus dropped back in coverage and collapsed after his foot caught in the Bank of America Stadium turf.

After receiving medical attention and limping off the field, Cherelus started working through the pain with a series of calisthenics. By halftime of the Panthers’ deflating, turnover-filled 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Cherelus was ready for the second half.

It didn’t help much after quarterback Bryce Young, who looked more like the rookie version than the improved performances he stacked in previous six starts, endured a sack-fumble on the first play of the third quarter.  
Five plays and 29 yards later, Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush connected with wide receiver Jalen Tolbert on an 11-yard touchdown pass. It proved to be the winning score.

Cherelus deflected blame from Young’s career-worst four turnovers.

“Regardless of where we got on the field, that’s 30 points on the board,” Cherelus said. “That’s not our standard.”

Maybe not, but the 3-11 Panthers entered Sunday yielding 29.8 points per game, last in the NFL.

“Obviously, not good enough, myself included,” Cherelus said. “We didn’t play good enough.”

‘Trying to get out there’

The Panthers’ injury situation on defense is becoming laughable.

Late in the second quarter, with Cherelus on the sideline tending to his foot, Josey Jewell, the other inside starting linebacker in the 3-4 base defense, sat in the medical tent. That left reserve Jon Rhattigan lining up in one-linebacker formations.

“I was like, ‘what happened to Josey?’ “Cherelus said with a laugh after the game. “I’m like, ‘OK, that’s cool.’ I’m trying to get back out there and at the same time, you don’t want to risk doing something dumb.”

The Panthers appeared poised to rise out of being among the league’s basement dwellers. With Young back starting after a Week 3 benching, they won two straight and played three playoff contenders tight, including the Kansas City Chiefs.

But after engineering an eight-plus-minute, game-opening drive against Dallas, Young fumbled on a second-effort scramble. The offense failed to generate a consistent running game with six second-half sacks and two interceptions.

The Cowboys (6-8) benefited, but Cherelus attempted to absolve Carolina’s offensive failings, which included going 3-for-11 on third down and generating just 235 total yards. The Cowboys compiled 410.

“We don’t look at how we got on the field, (it’s) how we got off,” he said. “It’s not good enough regardless. We get a turnover on the 1, we should be able to stop them.”

A second-year pro who was undrafted, Cherelus said he remained confident in Young, the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick. Coach Dave Canales said after Sunday’s outing that Young will start in the home finale Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

Panthers snared Cherelus from the Jets

The Panthers barely beat the clock when they initially signed Cherelus the former Alcorn State standout. The undrafted free agent spent the 2023 offseason program with the New York Jets before being realeased on NFL cutdown day. The Panthers’ brass scouted Cherelus during the teams’ joint practice sessions that summer.

Less than 24 hours after being waived, Cherelus appeared poised to sign a practice-squad contract with the Jets but received word of a potentially better opportunity with the Panthers.

As a rookie, Cherelus appeared only on special teams. Entering Sunday, he compiled 105 defensive snaps and 195 on special teams. Injuries to key players continue to challenge Carolina’s defense. The stats attest to that.

A shoulder injury to rookie Trevin Wallace elevated Cherelus, 25, to his second start. Despite the foot injury, Cherelus finished with nine tackles (five solo), one behind team leader Jewell. But the momentum Carolina appeared to be mounting the past six weeks, popped before a home crowd that mostly supported the Cowboys.

“There was a bunch of missed tackles out there that we have to clean up,” Canales said.

True, but do the mounting injuries continue adding challenges to an already depleted defense?

Cherelus didn’t agree.  

“We don’t look at it like we’re down a couple of starters,” he said. “We got guys who know what they are doing. We’ve got guys who’ve played a lot of football. At the end of the day, we don’t think about that much.”

Regarding his injury, Cherelus said: “I’ll come in (Monday). I have a lot of adrenaline right now. We’ll see.”

Regarding the Panthers’ defense, which entered the Cowboys’ contest yielding a league-high 170.1 rushing yards per game, Canales was asked if he retained confidence in the system.

“Absolutely,” Canales said.

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