The Carolina Panthers will need to deal with a roster adjustment before Week 1 in light of the Nic Scourton injury, and there are several options available. Scourton, a former second-round pick, was carted off with a knee injury on the first day of the NFL Training Camp. Last season, the young linebacker recorded 47 tackles, one pass deflection, a forced fumble, and a team-leading five sacks while only being a starter for eight games. As of this posting, the former Texas A&M product will receive an MRI on his knee to check on the severity of the injury, but it doesn’t look too good.
This offseason has been extremely productive for the Panthers. They’ve brought in Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd via free agency to fortify this pass-rushing group, but would be forced to find another potential talent in the market. While Head Coach Dave Canales said “we’ve got depth,” it won’t mean they’ll shoot down the idea of getting more. Carolina hasn’t been afraid of building a ferocious defense, but who will step up and help this group?
Nic Scourton Injury: 3 Best Replacement Fits for Panthers
Free Agency or Trade?
It won’t matter if it’s through a trade or free agency; the Panthers need someone to step in. Patrick Jones will likely get the starting reps for the rest of this year’s training camp, but is he enough for what Carolina is looking for? QB Bryce Young is entering a crucial season this year, so the team must make life easier for him, and that’s by turning the ball over. Last offseason, the team re-signed Jaycee Horn and Michael Jackson while agreeing to a long-term deal with Tre’Von Moehrig.
As much as they’ve invested in their secondary last year, they’re probably doing the same with their linebacker group this season. Here are the best replacements for Scourton as the Panthers remain hopeful he isn’t out for the rest of the season.
