Panthers WR Brazzell suffers LCL tear, out eight weeks

The Carolina Panthers' training camp was dealt another significant injury blow on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell suffered a torn LCL in his left knee and had to be carted off the field. The third-round draft pick is expected to miss up to eight weeks of action.

Brazzell, 22, was participating in a 7-on-7 drill at the team's practice facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, when he went down clutching his knee. He had just returned to practice that day after missing the previous two sessions due to soreness in the same knee, though the team stated the new injury is not believed to be related to the earlier issue. Head coach Dave Canales said Brazzell felt something unusual on the knee, sat down, and was taken inside for evaluation.

The diagnosis, reported by multiple outlets, confirms a lengthy absence for the promising rookie. The injury sidelines Brazzell during a critical period for learning the offense and competing for a role in a young receiver group that includes last year's NFL Rookie of the Year, Tetairoa McMillan. Canales noted that Brazzell had been dealing with soreness after the first few days of camp, leading the team to manage his...