The Carolina Panthers have seemingly been living through a nightmare in Week 1.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, defensive tackle Derrick Brown sustained a ‘potentially season-ending’ knee injury in Sunday’s 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Pelissero notes that the Pro Bowl defender will need surgery on his meniscus, which will then determine the timetable for recovery.
Brown is fresh off signing a four-year, $96 million extension with the Panthers this offseason. That pact was earned, in part, due to his historic 2023 campaign—where he set a new NFL single-season record for tackles by a defensive lineman (103).
The 26-year-old was expected to have a larger presence as a pass rusher in 2024. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero had the following to say about Brown just last week:
“In my opinion, arguably the best run player in the NFL. And, like I said earlier, the pressures were there, he affects the quarterback. He’s a hard man to block—run or pass, one-on-one. But at the end of the day, we wanna translate those into more sack production. I think this guy can get eight to 10 sacks this season.”
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