The Carolina Panthers caught a bad break on the practice field Tuesday. Rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II went down with a left leg injury, got carted off, and now we know the damage is more than just a bruise.
According to Ari Meirov of The33rdTeamFB, Brazzell tore his LCL during practice and will miss up to eight weeks. Joe Person first reported the news. The Panthers took Brazzell in the third round out of Tennessee, and the plan was to have him work behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker in the receiver rotation. That plan is on hold now.
Eight weeks is a lot but it’s not a season-ender. Brazzell could miss the first month and a half of the regular season, maybe more depending on how rehab goes. The Panthers haven’t set a firm return date yet, but it’s safe to assume he won’t be ready for Week 1.
Next man up in Carolina’s receiver room
With Brazzell out, McMillan and Coker become the clear top two options. That was already the pecking order, but now the depth behind them gets tested earlier than expected. Xavier Legette and Jimmy Horn Jr. will see more reps in practice and likely more targets when the games start. The Panthers don’t have a lot of proven depth here, so somebody’s going to have to step up.
This isn’t the only injury hitting the Panthers early. Last week, defensive end Nic Scourton tore his ACL and is done for the season. He was supposed to be a key piece on defense. Now the unit has to figure out who fills that gap. Two significant losses before most teams have even played a preseason snap.
Panthers still carrying momentum from last season
Carolina won the NFC South last year and made the playoffs. They lost in the Wild Card round, but for a franchise that had been stuck in the mud for a while, it felt like a real step forward. The front office brought in pieces this offseason to build on that. Losing Brazzell and Scourton stings, but the roster still has talent at the top.
The Panthers aren’t panicking. They’ve got enough to be competitive. But injuries this early put pressure on the coaching staff to get the next guys ready fast. Training camp just started, and already the medical staff is staying busy.
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