Carolina Panthers DB Corey Thornton maturing into role

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Corey Thornton worked his way from undrafted free agent to contributor at nickel corner in his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers.

When Panthers quarterback Bryce Young rolled out during an 11-on-11 practice drill Tuesday, second-year defensive back Corey Thornton read the play. 

As John Metchie III slid on the grass to grab the low throw, Thornton dove over the receiver’s shoulder and wrestled the ball away, creating a defensive highlight. 

“It was smooth,” Thornton. “Just doing my job. … We’re competing.”

Thornton continues to prove that last summer’s standout effort during OTAs and training camp was not a fluke. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero pointed to his practice habits as the primary reason the undrafted free agent earned a spot on the 53-man roster last season. 

“He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve been around,” Evero said. 

‘I'll put my best foot forward’ 

The competition for snaps at nickel corner could prove to be one of the more interesting summer positional battles. Thornton has often been the first to man the slot during OTAs the past two weeks. Second-year defender Chau Smith-Wade, last season’s Week 1 starter who endured an inconsistent rookie campaign, remains a strong candidate for a rotational role.  

Considering the way Evero utilizes the nickelback in his 3-4 base defense, he often deploys safeties Tre’von Moehrig and Lathan Ransom to take advantage of matchups in the slot. 

“There are a lot of guys that can help us in there,” coach Dave Canales said. “As you know, Tre’von Moehrig also plays the nickel spot in a certain package. Jaycee (Horn) can go in there sometimes, Corey’s done a great job, won the job at a certain point, and Chau Smith-Wade knows our system like nobody else. 

“And there’s a couple of other younger guys too that’ll be competing in there, and that’s the thing for us is we want to make sure they know these are opportunities to compete to help our team, and we’re open to whoever wants to do that by doing things right, showing up and making plays.”

Among the “other younger guys” Canales mentioned, rookies Will Lee III and Zakee Wheatley continue to forge an identity among the veterans. 

“Everybody kind of plays everything and that’s what I love about our room,” Thornton said. “You can throw guys everywhere. My role is whatever they need me to be – nickel corner, safety, wherever. I’ll put my best foot forward.” 

Panthers pressured to harass QBs

Despite employing Horn and Mike Jackson, one of the top cornerback duos in the league, the No. 15-ranked Panthers yielded 203.9 passing yards per game last season. An inconsistent pass rush often challenged Horn and Jackson to sustain coverage. 

To fill the pressure void, the Panthers signed Jaelan Phillips, one of the top free-agent edge rushers, to a team-record four-year, $120 million deal, and remain optimistic that second-year edge players Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen break out. 

Tighter coverage in the slot could also aid Horn, who intercepted five passes and held receivers to a 46.6 completion rate, and Jackson, who paced the league with 19 passes defended.   

Thornton, 25, took a moment to reflect on how he matured over the past year. He compiled 13 tackles (eight solo), three passes defended and one forced fumble in 12 games last season. 

“Things are starting to slow down a little bit,” Thornton said. “Just going out there each and every day with the intention of getting better and knowing what to expect, understanding the playbook and getting those reps.  With my faith in God, I believed I could do it.” 

Comments