How long will Panthers' rookie Chris Brazzell be out with knee injury?

A year after winning their first NFC South division title in almost a decade, the Carolina Panthers were hoping to build on that momentum in 2026. Training camp injuries for Carolina are, unfortunately, already throwing a wrench into those plans.

>Just about a week after promising linebacker Nic Scourton tore his ACL on the first day of Panthers training camp, Carolina took a crushing blow to its offensive foundation on Wednesday. Rookie receiver Chris Brazzell, a third-round pick in April's draft, tore the LCL in his left knee. While the injury is obviously much better news than the more famous ACL tear, it's still not ideal. It's still an important ligament in a person's knee, after all.

>This injury, as such, is basically going to knock out a significant chunk of Brazzell's rookie NFL season, a year he needs to develop and learn as a young player. He'll be out about eight weeks, to be somewhat exact:

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Panthers rookie WR Chris Brazzell sustained a moderate LCL tear in his left knee and is expected to miss up to eight weeks, per a league source with knowledge of the situation. Brazzell's injury is believed to be unrelated to his earlier knee issue.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) July 29, 2026Brazzell's absence will not only be detrimental to his development, but also to the Panthers as a whole. As it stands, the Panthers have a huge gap of reliable receivers after last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan, and are likely hoping Brazzell eventually steps into that role for Bryce Young.

>For now, that hopeful rise will have to wait as Brazzell recovers.

Who will likely replace Brazzell for the Panthers while he recovers from his injury?Expect a platoon of Jalen Coker, Xavier Legette, and perhaps Jimmy Horn Jr. to try and fill in the blanks for Brazzell.

>This article originally appeared on For The Win: How long will Panthers' rookie Chris Brazzell be out with knee injury?