The Carolina Panthers‘ training camp action is officially underway, as the team has gotten started on its preparations for the new season. Excitement surrounding the team is at an all-time high after they unexpectedly won the NFC South division last year and played the Los Angeles Rams very tough in their lone playoff contest.
And yet, the wind was quickly taken out of the Panthers’ sails on Thursday morning during the team’s most recent practice. That’s because second-year linebacker Nic Scourton appeared to suffer a concerning injury that resulted in him getting carted off the field, which is always a worrying sign in the NFL.
Nic Scourton Carted Off Field with Worrying Injury
Carolina selected Scourton in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he quickly turned himself into a key contributor for his new squad as a rookie. While the Panthers’ offense managed to put points on the board last year, it was the defense that carried this team, and Scourton was an important piece of the puzzle.
Scourton suited up for all 17 of Carolina’s games, eight of which saw him on the field as a starter. During that stretch, Scourton racked up 47 tackles, five sacks, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble, and as the year went on, his performance only improved. As a result, expectations were high for him ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Entering training camp, Scourton was projected to be starting at one of the Panthers’ outside linebacker positions alongside prized free agent signing Jaelan Phillips. Now, the team is hoping to receive some positive news on his injury status after he suffered an apparent lower body injury that led to him being carted off the field on Thursday.
“Panthers LB Nic Scourton suffered an apparent lower body injury in practice during team drills moments ago & was carted off,” Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network shared in a post on X. “Scourton was in tears as cart left the field and whole team came to give him a hug when he left. A lot of emotions for key player injury Day 1 of camp.”
Panthers Hoping for Good News on Nic Scourton’s Injury Status
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 08: Linebacker Nic Scourton #11 of the Carolina Panthers looks on in the first half during the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Cleveland Browns at Bank of America Stadium on August 08, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
You never want to speculate when discussing a player’s injury status, but anytime a cart comes onto the field to take a player back to the locker room, it’s not a good sign. There aren’t a ton of details on what this injury could be for Scourton just yet, making this a situation worth monitoring over the next few hours.
If Scourton is forced to miss time, Princely Umanmielen and Patrick Jones II would be the top internal candidates to replace him and fill in alongside Phillips. Considering how big a part of the team’s plans Scourton was, the front office could look to bring in a new face if he’s going to be out for the foreseeable future. Injuries are a part of football, but the Panthers may have already been dealt a brutal blow during their first practice of training camp.
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