The Panthers are preparing themselves to be without defensive tackle Derrick Brown because of a torn meniscus in his knee, but the plan for next steps is still to be determined.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Monday that Brown is going for a second opinion before deciding on surgery. If he does have an operation, the type of surgery will determine whether or not Brown will be back this season.
Canales didn’t undersell what Brown’s loss will mean to a defense that had a rough day in Sunday’s 47-10 loss to the Saints.
“Definitely a huge loss,’' Canales said, via David Newton of ESPN.com. “He’s one of our best players. That’s big shoes to fill. At the same time, we encourage [other players to] go in with great technique and just do your job. We don’t need you to make the special plays that Derrick makes. Just do your job. That’s the truth of it. If you play team football with a bunch of guys you can have success.’'
Shy Tuttle, A’Shawn Robinson, LaBryan Ray, Nick Thurman, and Jayden Peevy are the other defensive linemen on Carolina’s 53-man roster.