Derrick Brown injury represents devastating blow to Carolina Panthers' chances

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Carolina Panthers.

A few short hours removed from their embarrassing capitulation at the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, the Panthers were dealt another devastating blow to their chances of making progress in 2024. Unfortunately for everyone associated with the franchise, it involved their best overall player.

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that Derrick Brown suffered a potentially season-ending meniscus injury at the Caesars Superdome. There was nothing to suggest he was struggling during the game, but something obviously came up afterward that warranted further examination.

Brown will have surgery on the problem before an official recovery timeframe becomes public knowledge. Considering he's one of Carolina's very few cornerstone pieces, this is a significant blow.

Carolina Panthers' nightmare start gets worse with Derrick Brown injury

The Panthers will have to cope without Brown. It does nothing to enhance their hopes after confidence was sapped within a few minutes of their regular-season opener. Their depth isn't exactly great along Ejiro Evero's 3-4 defensive front. Unless general manager Dan Morgan identifies another option from the veteran pool, Nick Thurman or LaBryan Ray could be in line for a heavier workload.

To say that's a downgrade would be understating things. Brown was an absolute revelation for the Panthers last season as all around him crumbled. He broke the NFL's single-season tackle record for interior defensive linemen - something that deservedly came with his first Pro Bowl selection as a result of his efforts.

Brown's injury is bad enough. The fact that it comes just after the Panthers gave him a lucrative contract extension is even worse.

The former first-round pick out of Auburn penned a four-year, $96 million deal that came with a $25 million signing bonus and $59.31 million guaranteed. This got his cap number down to $6.62 million in 2024. By the time he could be ready to participate once again, this soars to $19.54 million.

Injuries are a part of the game. The Panthers have endured more hardship than most in this area over recent seasons. But this one, to such an accomplished performer and respected figure within the locker room, will be sorely felt more than most.

Carolina's defense wasn't exactly great with Brown on the field as the Saints had their way with Evero's unit to start the season. There's just no telling how much worse it could get without him.

Fans were pretty downtrodden after getting beaten down by an NFC South rival. Brown's injury news meant they were beyond despair. This is a far cry from the newfound optimism that enveloped the franchise throughout the summer.

Where the Panthers go from here is anyone's guess. Hopefully, it'll be good news for Brown and he gets back quickly. If not, then don't be surprised if another high-end draft pick awaits this perennial bottom-feeder in 2025.

The last couple of days have been nothing short of catastrophic. Brown's complication was the icing on the cake.

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