The Carolina Panthers are already living a nightmare no team wants to endure on the first day of training camp
The Carolina Panthers are off and running in training camp, but they’re already dealing with their first injury scare of the year.
The Carolina Panthers hit the practice field to mark the formal return of the NFL on Thursday morning. It was cause for celebration — but that celebration has quickly turned to worry.
The Carolina Panthers’ defense got some major reinforcements via free agency this offseason, tacking on big-money players in pass rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. Those players are supplementing a young nucleus of talent that the Panthers have pooled in recent years — but one of their most promising youngsters went down at practice and needed help getting off the field from the dreaded cart. Second-year pro Nic Scourton suffered the injury, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Carolina Panthers second-year pro Nic Scourton goes down at Panthers practice
It’s important to remember that the cart doesn’t guarantee anything at this time of the year. Players have been carted off in the past and ultimately avoided major injury. But the assessment from Wolfe, who was in attendance at the practice, does not sound promising. After practice, head coach Dave Canales confirmed Scourton suffered a right knee injury and will undergo imaging to determine the severity.
The reaction from both Scourton and his Carolina Panthers teammates should create some pause as we await the final word on his situation, but this would be a brutal development.
“They care about each other,” Canales said. “Whenever you’re in a group of people doing something hard together, it has a way of creating a special bond. It means something to the guys and I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the fact that the first thought in the guys’ mind isn’t ‘are we going to have Nic for the season,’ it’s ‘how is Nic doing’ and guys are checking on him. As we have more information, we’ll let you know.”
Scourton had a promising first season with the Panthers, co-leading the team in sacks alongside star interior defensive lineman Derrick Brown. He also had the second-most tackles for a loss on the team. It was impressive production, considering Scourton started just eight games. Following an injury to Pat Jones II, Scourton became a mainstay in the Panthers’ starting lineup off the edge and showed strong flashes as the team’s top edge rusher.
With the aforementioned addition of Phillips, Scourton was expected to be the team’s top beneficiary opposite the top free agent signing in franchise history. The addition of Phillips on the opposite edge, in theory, could lead to more one-on-one opportunities for Scourton to really shine going into his second season. Scourton also spent ample time this summer perfecting his craft, even working with Micah Parsons’ trainer in Texas. Overall, an unfortunate situation for a potential breakout player on the first day of training camp. We should know more in the coming hours.
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