Depth in the secondary has been an issue for the Panthers all year. Help will be on the way soon, though.

According to team reporter Max Henson, Carolina has designated safety Da’Norris Searcy to return from the injured reserve list. He now has three weeks to practice before the team has to activate him to the roster. The move will likely come sooner, though.

Searcy has been officially designated for return, starting his 21-day practice window. — Max Henson (@PanthersMax) November 28, 2018

Searcy signed a two-year deal with the Panthers in March, worth $5.7 million total.

He played the first two games of the season before he was sidelined by two concussions in less than a month. After Searcy went on injured reserve, the team signed Eric Reid, who has played well.

While Reid and Mike Adams make up a formidable starting combination at safety, there’s no depth to speak of behind them. The rookie Rashaan Gaulden is unproven and Colin Jones is a liability when he’s not on special teams.

When he returns to the lineup, Searcy will be a very welcome depth addition for the Panthers defense.