UPDATE No. 2: It has been confirmed that Cockrell broke two bones in his leg and will require surgery. The Panthers are expected to place him on injured reserve.
Surgery for Panthers’ Ross Cockrell. He broke two bones in his leg. He will eventually end up on injured reserve. Tough break for a good guy.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) July 30, 2018
UPDATE No. 1: Reports have now surfaced that Cockrell has indeed broken his leg.
#Panthers CB Ross Cockrell, who yelled to teammates today that he thought his leg was broken, did in fact break his leg, source said. Another rough blow for Carolina.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 30, 2018
Carolina Panthers cornerback Ross Cockrell went to the ground in agony today after a collision with wide receiver Torrey Smith at practice.
While the Panthers don’t have a clear starter behind James Bradberry, Cockrell was right in the middle of a deep group of corners fighting for a place on and on top of the depth chart. He had been having a strong camp and even caught the attention of the Panthers new defensive coordinator, Eric Washington.
Eric Washington said he’s been highlighting Cockrell in meetings every day. “He’s been a representation of the hustle we need.”
— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) July 30, 2018
Prior to 2018, Cockrell, a hometown hero out of Charlotte Latin and Duke University, had spent time with the Buffalo Bills, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New York Giants. The injury was jarring enough for the team that practice was ended after Cockrell, whose leg was in an air cast, was carted off of the field. We wish him all the best in his recovery.