In May, Derrick Brown expressed a desire to be back at full strength by the start of the regular season. The Panthers Pro Bowler has indeed been cleared well before that point.
General manager Dan Morgan said at the outset of training camp this week (via Joe Person of The Athletic) that Brown has the green light to practice in full. To no surprise, he added the team will take a cautious approach in this case. Bringing Brown back up to speed will be key as he looks to move past a 2024 campaign which essentially ended before it began.
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The former No. 7 pick suffered a meniscus tear in Week 1 and required season-ending surgery as a result. Brown’s rehab progressed to the point where a return in time for training camp emerged as the target. Brown’s injury gutted Carolina’s front seven last season. Trading Brian Burns (and not doing much to replace him), the Panthers lost Brown after a handful of plays last season. These developments led to the team dropping to 32nd in points and yardage allowed.
Brown’s injury came after the Panthers gave him a four-year, $96MM extension. The team has since added two more notable defensive line contracts, signing Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown in free agency. The former Chiefs and Rams performers, respectively, profile as D-line aid after the unit’s 2024 freefall. But the free agency additions also will likely need Brown operating as O-lines’ top concern to realize their potential in Charlotte.
Avoiding the active/PUP list after the previous timetable pointed to a longer onramp represents a positive sign for Derrick Brown, who had missed one game over his first four seasons. That attendance rate helped the Panthers feel comfortable extending the Matt Rhule-era draftee. With the team still transitioning from Burns — as second- and third-round rookies (Nic Scourton, Princely Umanmielen) are being groomed to man the OLB spots, with ex-Vikings D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones as veteran placeholders — Brown reemerging as an impact player will provide a vital boost to the Panthers’ defense.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.