Panthers' Chris Brazzell II Suffers Season-Ending Knee Injury, Latest Rumors on Rookie's Timeline

Chris Brazzell II's NFL debut will have to wait until his second season.

Joe Person of The Athletic reported Thursday the Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver will undergo season-ending surgery for a torn LCL. Both the player and team decided this was "the best course of action for his future."

Person noted "the initial plan for Chris Brazzell's LCL tear was a non-surgical route, which would have sidelined him for up to two months. He would have missed all of camp and been added to the mix in October, more than likely."

This is part of a brutal start to training camp for Carolina, at least from a health perspective.

Right tackle Taylor Moton will miss the start of the season due to a blood clot in his lung, while linebacker Nic Scourton will miss the entire campaign with a torn ACL.

The loss of Brazzell is particularly difficult, as the team surely had high expectations for the Tennessee product after selecting him with a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft. He finished his final collegiate season with the Volunteers with 62 catches for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns and figured to compete for immediate playing time.

Secondary wide receiver production outside of Tetairoa McMillan was a major concern for the Panthers last season and likely played a significant role in the decision to draft Brazzell.

McMillan was the only wide receiver to finish with more than 394 receiving yards last season when he posted 1,014. The team still made the playoffs and could take another step if some of the other receivers provide necessary support.

Brazzell's injury means Carolina will have to rely more on the combination of Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker and John Metchie III to provide that support beyond McMillan.

The Panthers start the season Sept. 13 with a home game against the Chicago Bears.