The Panthers suffered another injury scare Thursday.
Just days after the team announced offensive tackle Taylor Moton has a blood clot and will miss the start of the season, linebacker Nic Scourton was carted off the field in practice.
During drills on the Panthers’ first day of training camp, Scourton suffered a right knee injury, head coach Dave Canales confirmed to reporters, and was unable to put pressure on his leg.
As he left the field, he was in tears while the whole team came to give him a hug, per multiple reports.
Canales said Scourton is going for imaging on his knee Thursday afternoon but had no other updates.
Scourton, 21, was a second-round pick by the Panthers in 2025 and showed promise in his rookie campaign.
The Texas A&M product recorded five sacks, 47 tackles and forced a fumble while appearing in all 17 games.
While he only started two of the Panthers first six games last year, he found his stride late, starting six of their last eight contests and even starting their playoff clash against the Rams.
Considering Scourton was primed to take a sophomore leap after flashing high-end potential as a rookie, him being sidelined for significant time would be a crucial loss for the Panthers pass rush.
After the Panthers had the worst pressure rate in the NFL last year at 26.2 percent, general manager Dan Morgan inked former Dolphins and Eagles pass rusher Jaelan Phillips to a four-year, $120 million deal.
Phillips, a 2021 first-round pick by the Dolphins, has battled injuries throughout his career, but has 28 career sacks.
The Panthers also added former Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd to their defense.
Following their first NFC South title since 2015 and first playoff appearance since 2017, the Panthers kick off their 2026 season at home Sept. 13 against the Bears.
