Carolina Panthers rookie playmaker Curtis Samuel left the team's preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday due to an ankle injury.

According to Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer, Samuel said the injury was "nothing major" and "nothing to worry about."

He also explained how he initially felt after suffering the injury, saying, "After that I couldn't really put too much pressure on my ankle. I really couldn't walk. But now I'm fine. I just gotta from here take care of my ankle."

The ankle ailment is the latest health issue for Samuel, as he missed much of training camp with a hamstring injury.

Samuel, 20, was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Panthers and is expected to make an instant impact in both the run and passing games. The dynamic speedster was a dual-threat weapon at Ohio State and, paired with fellow rookie running back Christian McCaffrey, is expected to add another big-play threat to Carolina's offense.

Almost immediately, he impressed his teammates and coaches with his pure speed.

"The dude is fast, man," Panthers veteran linebacker Thomas Davis said of Samuel, per Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer. "Really fast."

"The biggest thing you see from Curtis is his acceleration," head coach Ron Rivera added. "He gets from zero to top speed pretty doggone quick. He creates his separation in the 15-20 yard area."

That made him always likely to play a role for the Panthers in 2017, even in a special teams or niche offensive role. Samuel's brand of game-breaking speed and agility is tough to find and harder to replace.

The Panthers still have plenty of weapons for Cam Newton on offense, however, even with Samuel injured. McCaffrey and Jonathan Stewart will continue to lead the run game, while Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen will pace the team's aerial attack.

Although Samuel's comments suggest he will be ready for the team's Week 1 game against the San Francisco 49ers, his lack of preparation for the season may allow Devin Funchess and Russell Shepard to get more opportunities behind Benjamin in the early going.