When it rains, it rains heavily.

The Carolina Panthers’ 2024 season is only one game old, but it already has the makings of another long year. As if the season-opening 47-10 loss to their division rival wasn’t bad enough, the Panthers fear that their best defender, defensive lineman Derrick Brown, could be out for the rest of the season with a torn meniscus.

“He’s not really sure (when it happened),” Panthers head coach Dave Canales said. “It’s a physical game, so when you play inside, you get into a lot of odd situations. It’s been on our radar, that’s really all I can tell you right now. The only thing I can say is you look at this game and regardless of the time or the score, it’s PAT or field goal and Derrick is charging at full speed the whole time. It’s exactly what we’re trying to do with the finish. When a guy like him talks to him today, he says I want to get a second opinion. He wants to make sure it’s at a point where other things need to be considered. I don’t know when that second opinion will be taken. They’re trying to plan for that and then I can give you more information.”

Brown is the anchor of Carolina’s defensive line, and without him, the Panthers could be in big trouble. Last season, the former first-round pick made his first Pro Bowl appearance after setting an NFL record for most tackles by a defensive tackle in a single season with 103.

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