Greg Olsen experienced plenty of ups and downs in his nine years with the Carolina Panthers. So, he may be able to relate to the current struggles of today's team.
The franchise great spoke with Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer in a recent one-on-one interview. Fowler asked Olsen what he thinks is wrong with the Panthers, who are dragging along on a three-game losing streak.
Here was his reponse:
I haven’t had one of their games (as a broadcaster this season)... So I just get it from local radio, Twitter and talking to buddies, like a normal fan would…. There are always multiple reasons for struggling, right? The big story for them is letting (defensive coordinator Ejiro) Evero go. They made some heavy investments on the defensive side of the ball,
with Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd…. I think they’re in the process of program building. Roster building. When you lose star players for extended periods of time — Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Jaelan Phillips — it’s tough.
Tough, indeed.
In a season where the defense was expected to take a pretty sizable leap, Carolina has been dealt bite after bite by the injury bug. And these aren't some tiny little nibbles, either.
Horn and Jackson, one of the league's top cornerback duos, have both been sidelined since Week 3. Phillips, who was signed to a four-year, $120 million in the offseason, has missed the past three games due to a bothersome hamstring.
But there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.
Jackson was one of three players who were designated to return to practice on Wednesday. He made a full return to the session, too—giving him a real chance at suiting up for Sunday's big showdown with the New Orleans Saints.
Phillips was also listed as a full participant.
The Panthers, however, will probably have to wait a little more on Horn. Head coach Dave Canales told reporters after yesterday's outing that the two-time Pro Bowler still has some hurdles to clear to get back on the practice field.
Carolina enters Week 10 with the 22nd-ranked overall defense.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers great nails the truth behind team's recent struggles
