Carolina Panthers second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton was carted off the practice field in visible distress on the first day of training camp Thursday after suffering an apparent right-knee injury. Teammates and coaches clustered around him as he was taken from the turf, Scourton appearing to be in tears, and the team stopped practice. The abrupt turn came as the Panthers began their push toward the regular season in Uptown Charlotte. The organization said it would provide updates after medical testing.
Canales: MRI Scheduled As Teammates Rally
Head coach Dave Canales said he did not yet know the full extent of the injury and that Scourton would have an MRI exam, according to Sportsnet. Players dropped to one knee and individually embraced Scourton as the cart paused, the report adds. Canales told reporters, "I don't want to speculate," while also saying the roster has depth to handle the loss if it proves serious.
Scourton's Rookie Season And Projected Role
Scourton was Carolina’s second-round pick in the 2025 draft and appeared in 17 games as a rookie, finishing with 5.0 sacks and 47 tackles, per Pro-Football-Reference. He had been expected to take a starting outside-linebacker role opposite Jaelan Phillips, who joined the Panthers in free agency this offseason, according to Panthers.com.
Depth Chart Questions
If Scourton misses significant time, the Panthers will lean on the depth they added this offseason; young pass rusher Princely Umanmielen and veteran Patrick Jones II are among the players who could see expanded snaps, according to The Charlotte Observer. Pre-camp analyses had already flagged the rookie duo as a storyline entering camp.
What’s Next
Scans will determine a timeline for Scourton’s return, and the Panthers said they will update the public after medical staff review the imaging, per local station WBTV. For now the club has paused public practice and will treat the matter with caution as the tests proceed.
