The Carolina Panthers placed defensive tackle Derrick Brown on season-ending injured reserve on Tuesday after the former Auburn All-American sustained a knee injury in the NFL team’s season-opening game on Sunday.
In the Panthers’ 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Brown played 60 of Carolina’s 66 defensive snaps. But he had knee soreness after the game that was more intense on Monday.
The injury robs the Panthers of their only 2023 Pro Bowler.
Last season, Brown recorded 103 tackles in 17 games – 11 more tackles than any other NFL defensive lineman. Since tackles became an official statistic in 2001, Brown had five more than any other interior defensive lineman had recorded in one season. Brown also had two sacks, seven tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits, one interception and five pass break-ups during his fourth NFL season.
While the severity of Brown’s injury was being evaluated on Monday, Carolina coach Dave Canales said having the defensive tackle sidelined would be “a huge loss” for the Panthers.
In the Panthers’ season-opening game, Brown and former Alabama All-American A’Shawn Robinson as the ends flanked nose tackle Shy Tuttle on the starting unit for Carolina’s three-man defensive front.
The Panthers had only one other player listed as a defensive end on their roster before Tuesday – former James Clemens High School and Alabama standout LaBryan Ray.
On Tuesday, Carolina signed defensive end DeShawn Williams. Williams started 10 games for the Panthers last season, but he signed with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent in March. The Bills released the five-year veteran on Aug. 27.
Brown joined Carolina as the seventh selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he missed one game in his first four seasons.
Carolina signed Brown to a four-year, $96 million contract extension in April.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
