The Carolina Panthers added another wide receiver one day after rookie Chris Brazzell II sustained a concerning left knee injury at training camp.
Carolina announced on July 30 that it signed undrafted rookie Gabriel Benyard and waived defensive tackle Parker Peterson to create the necessary roster spot. Benyard became the Panthers’ second receiver addition in two days, following the signing of former Atlanta Falcons wideout Casey Washington.
The moves came as Carolina’s available depth at the position suddenly began shrinking. Dan Chisena was placed on injured reserve on July 29, and Brazzell was helped off the practice field later that day following a non-contact injury.
Panthers Add Gabriel Benyard Following Chris Brazzell II Injury
Benyard joined the Panthers after spending time with the Buffalo Bills earlier in the offseason.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound receiver played his final college season at Kennesaw State, recording 60 receptions for 949 yards and nine touchdowns. Carolina waived Peterson, an undrafted rookie defensive tackle, in the corresponding move.
Benyard’s production gives the Panthers another developmental option for training-camp practices and preseason games, but his arrival should not immediately be viewed as a direct replacement for Brazzell.
Brazzell, a third-round pick from Tennessee, entered camp with an opportunity to earn an early role in Carolina’s passing game. The 6-foot-4 rookie offers a different physical profile than Benyard and had drawn praise for his speed and body control before the injury. The Panthers’ own preseason position preview identified Brazzell as a player capable of making an early impact if he mastered the offense.
That potential makes the forthcoming diagnosis more important than the Benyard transaction itself.
Brazzell went down during a 7-on-7 period on July 29. According to the team, he stopped following the play, lowered himself to the ground and needed assistance leaving the field. He did not put weight on his left foot before being taken inside on a cart.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Brazzell would undergo a full evaluation. The team had not announced a diagnosis or recovery timetable when Benyard’s signing became official.
It was also the same knee that had already caused Brazzell to miss two practices. Canales previously characterized the issue as soreness, but the rookie returned to the field Wednesday and was unable to finish the session.
Casey Washington Brings NFL Experience to Panthers
Washington gives Carolina a more experienced short-term option while the team awaits further information on Brazzell.
The former sixth-round pick spent his first two NFL seasons with the Falcons. He appeared in 15 games, made two starts and recorded seven receptions for 108 yards before joining Carolina. The Panthers signed Washington when they placed Chisena, a receiver and special-teams contributor, on injured reserve.
Washington’s game experience and potential special-teams value could give him a faster path into the roster competition than Benyard, who is beginning his first NFL season.
Neither signing changes the top of Carolina’s receiver room. Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker entered camp as the leading options, with Xavier Legette, John Metchie III, David Moore and several others competing for roles behind them.
The moves do, however, protect the Panthers from conducting practices with a depleted group. They also create additional competition for the final receiver and special-teams spots as the preseason approaches.
For now, the central question remains Brazzell’s health. Carolina’s decision to add Benyard so quickly underscores its immediate need for practice depth, but the rookie’s evaluation will determine whether the move was merely precautionary or the beginning of a more significant reshuffling at wide receiver.
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