The Carolina Panthers’ training camp has turned into a steady stream of bad news, and Chris Brazzell II is the latest name to join the list.
Brazzell went down unable to put any weight on his leg, and the cart had to come out. Both Panthers coach Dave Canales and quarterback Bryce Young checked in on him as he left the field. The team has not yet revealed a diagnosis, so his status remains uncertain.
That’s a tough hit for a receiver group the Panthers were counting on Brazzell to help lift. Carolina selected him in the third round of the 2026 draft, banking on the size and speed he could bring to a wideout room that has been described as mediocre. He was brought in to compete for the final starting receiver job, with Xavier Legette having slipped down the depth chart after being a first-round pick in 2024.
Whether Brazzell was going to win that spot outright or force Legette to raise his game, the plan was for his arrival to change the offense in some way. Now that possibility is on hold while the team waits for more information.
The good news, at least, is that Mitchell Evans appears to have avoided a major setback after he was carted off with an ankle injury. Evans later posted that he is fine and that it was just a rolled ankle, which suggests he may not miss much time. Brazzell’s situation could end up being similar, but any cart ride in camp is enough to make everyone around the team wince.
The injuries have piled up quickly. Taylor Moton has already been sidelined for a while, Nic Scourton is out for the year, and now Brazzell has joined a camp that has barely gotten through a full week of practices without another scare.
The Panthers kept working after Brazzell left, and Young soon connected with Legette for a touchdown in 11-on-11 work, a perfect ball to the back of the end zone over Nick Scott. Legette will need to be part of the answer if Brazzell’s injury proves serious, and he did his part with a big play right after the scare.
For now, the Panthers are waiting on an update from Canales and likely won’t get a full picture of Brazzell’s condition anytime soon. If the injury does lead to a stint on the PUP list or IR to open the season, Carolina will have plenty of receiver decisions to sort through in the weeks ahead.
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Jonathon Brooks Just Put Panthers Fans On Comeback Watch
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There was a little bit of star power on the sideline too, with Steve Smith Sr. and Chad Ochocinco around practice, though Brooks missed his window to meet both of them. For Panthers fans, the more important sight was Brooks taking another step forward in a summer that has been about patience, rehab and the hope that his next meaningful football moment is getting closer. [Read more 🡒]