Panthers rookie WR Chris Brazzell suffers moderate LCL tear, could miss up to 8 weeks: Source

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers’ injury list keeps getting longer.

Rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell is expected to miss up to eight weeks with a moderate LCL tear in his left knee, according to a league source briefed on the situation. Brazzell, a third-round pick from Tennessee, was carted to the locker room Wednesday after going down during 7-on-7 drills.

An MRI exam revealed the tear, although Brazzell is expected to seek a second opinion, the source said.

Brazzell’s injury comes six days after second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton sustained a season-ending ACL tear during the Panthers’ first practice. Right tackle Taylor Moton (blood clot), left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (knee), defensive tackles Turk Wharton (neck) and Bobby Brown (hamstring), and guards Rob Hunt (back) and Damien Lewis (calf) are also sidelined.

Brazzell had returned to practice Wednesday after being sidelined for a couple of days with soreness in the same knee. But the LCL tear is believed to be unrelated to the earlier issue.

“It was just something that just started to get sore after the first couple of days. He mentioned it to us. We started to look at it,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said. “We put him through some good recovery stuff and de-loaded him for a couple days. Got him back out there and he couldn’t finish the day.”

What it means for the WR group

Because of Brazzell’s height (6-foot-4) and speed, Canales planned to use the rookie a lot at the X receiver spot, freeing Tetairoa McMillan, the 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year, to play more in the slot. That plan will likely have to be scaled back.

Brazzell was expected to push Xavier Legette for the WR3 spot behind McMillan and Jalen Coker. Legette, who had a disappointing 2025, will now be the favorite to win the WR3 job ahead of David Moore, John Metchie and others. Look for the Panthers to sign at least one depth receiver in the wake of Brazzell’s injury.