Panthers players 'very emotional' after key LB's injury in training camp

The Carolina Panthers lost one of their key defensive players, Nic Scourton, to a serious-looking right leg injury at their July 23 training camp practice, per multiple reports.

Scourton was unable to put pressure on his right knee after suffering the injury, according to NFL Media's Cameron Wolfe.

"It appears significant," Wolfe wrote of Scourton's injury in a post to X. "Trainers were looking at his right knee. Teammates near him were very emotional with their frustration."

Scourton was carted off the field shortly after suffering the injury, according to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer. The 21-year-old was sitting in the front seat of the cart while several teammates came up to him and offered support.

Scourton was selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Texas A&M product generated 47 tackles and five sacks as a rookie and is expected to be a big part of Carolina's pass rush rotation across from marquee free agent signing Jaelan Phillips.

Panthers coach Dave Canales told reporters after practice Scourton had suffered a right knee injury. The 21-year-old is will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

"They're gonna take him and go get imaging this afternoon and we'll have more information on that," Canales said.

Canales didn't provide many additional details about the nature of the injury. The 45-year-old coach explained he was looking at the other side of the field when he heard Scourton go down and declined to speculate on the severity of the injury.

"I'm hoping for the best," Canales said. "So, we'll just get the full imaging before we make any announcements."

Canales noted he was "proud" of the way his players addressed Scourton's injury. He was happy to see so many check in on the second-year pass rusher as he was taken off the field.

"They care about each other," Canales said when discussing the bond between his players. "Whenever you're in a group of people doing something hard together, it has a way of creating a special bond. Between all the workouts and going through a full season and offseason and all that, it means something to the guys."

Below is a full look at Scourton's stats from his first NFL season in 2025.

• Games: 17
• Starts: 8
• Tackles: 47
• TFL: 7
• Sacks: 5
• Total pressures: 34
• Forced fumbles: 1
• Pass defenses: 1

Sixth-year veteran Patrick Jones II and 2025 third-round pick Princely Umanmielen are the primary backups behind Scourton. Each would be tasked with a larger role if Scourton's injury sidelines him long-term.

The Panthers also have edge rushers Trevis Gipson, Nick Hampton, Thomas Incoom and undrafted rookie Isaiah Smith on their 90-man roster.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Panthers players 'very emotional' after key LB's injury in training camp