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The Panthers have a new position where they’re getting dangerously thin. After dealing with a number of issues at running back and defensive end the last few weeks, the team is now low on cornerbacks.

Bené Benwikere has already ruled himself out of this weekend’s game at Cincinnati with a high ankle sprain, and Josh Norman won’t return from a concussion until Friday at the earliest.

Benwikere, who walked through the locker room Wednesday with a cast on his right foot, was injured while defending an extra point in the first quarter of Sunday’s win against the Bears.

“Hopefully I’ll just miss this week and then take this cast off. Then hopefully I can be back within the next week, two weeks,” Benwikere said.

Norman suffered his injury while making a tackle on running back Matt Forte early in Sunday’s second quarter. Head coach Ron Rivera said Norman passed the first test of the league’s concussion protocol, but now the Panthers will wait to “see how he is come Friday.”

Since they could be down two cornerbacks this week, the Panthers brought back James Dockery on Tuesday. He was a victim of the 53-man cutdown in August, but Dockery has played 12 games in Carolina over the last two seasons.

“He looks in good shape. His retention as been outstanding,” Rivera said. “He took reps with the first bunch today, in both base and nickel situations. He also took a lot of reps for us on special teams. He’ll play for us. He’ll be up on Sunday.”

Benwikere, who was the No. 1 nickel corner through the first five weeks of the season, will be replaced by Charles Godfrey against the Bengals. Antoine Cason and Melvin White will start on the outside.

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