Overview
- Rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II suffered a non-contact knee injury during seven-on-seven drills on July 29 and will miss the 2026 season after lateral collateral ligament surgery.
- The Panthers officially placed Brazzell on injured reserve on July 31 and signed tight end Chamon Metayer to open a roster spot.
- Head coach Dave Canales said multiple imaging tests and doctor consultations led the club to favor surgery as the best option for Brazzell's long-term knee stability.
- Carolina has identified internal options to absorb snaps, with Canales naming Brycen Tremayne, David Moore and Ja'seem Reed and insiders pointing to Ja'Tavion Sanders as a possible role player.
- Brazzell's loss adds to a string of early training-camp injuries for the Panthers and increases pressure to evaluate free-agent receivers or other short-term additions while protecting players' long-term health.