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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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Report: Panthers DT Derrick Brown sustained 'potentially season-ending' knee injury in Week 1
