Pro Bowl DT Potentially Suffered 'Season-Ending' Injury

The Carolina Panthers' start to the 2024 NFL season couldn't have gone worse than it did on Sunday. After finishing the 2023 campaign with a league-worst 3-14 record, the Panthers struggled to show any signs of improvement during their 47-10 blowout loss to the rival New Orleans Saints in Week 1.

There isn't much for the Panthers to be thrilled about following their season-opening defeat. Not only did they lose the matchup against the Saints in an embarrassing fashion, but it also appears that the team will be without starting defensive tackle Derrick Brown for the foreseeable future following his latest injury update.

NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that Brown injured his meniscus at some point during the loss to the Saints. The 26-year-old Pro Bowl defender will undergo surgery to repair the issue, leaving a return timetable up in the air until the procedure is complete.

"Panthers Pro Bowl DL Derrick Brown suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Saints, per sources," Pelissero said. "The meniscus injury will require surgery, which will determine the exact timeline. A brutal blow in Week 1."

Brown's latest injury is the biggest hiccup in his NFL career thus far. The ex-Auburn product only missed one of 67 potential games in his first four professional seasons, highlighting just how much of a constant presence he's been for Carolina's defensive line.

Despite dealing with a knee injury, Brown still managed to play 60 defensive snaps (91 percent) during the Panthers' season-opening defeat. He registered three total tackles with a miss while playing to a 47.7 defense grade , per Pro Football Focus.

It remains to be seen if Brown can return to form whenever he gets back on the gridiron. The Sugar Hill, GA native set an NFL record for tackles by a DT with 103 last season while playing to a defense-grade of 90.1 — the fourth-best mark among 130 eligible interior defenders.

Those efforts were good enough to land Brown a four-year, $96 million contract from the Panthers back in April.

For now, we'll see if anyone steps up in Brown's absence. In the meantime, the Panthers must put the stud tackle's injury in the rearview mirror as they prepare for their Week 2 home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.