Carolina placed Brown (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday. He'll miss the remainder of the 2024 season, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Brown tallied three tackles and played 60 of the Panthers' 66 defensive snaps in Sunday's 47-10 loss to the Saints in Week 1 but emerged from the contest with a meniscus injury. He's expected to undergo a procedure to address the injury, and the fact that the Panthers are ruling him out for the season suggests that he'll be getting a full repair of the meniscus rather than a partial meniscectomy. A 2020 first-round draft pick, Brown earned his first Pro Bowl nod last season when he suited up for all 17 games while registering 103 tackles, two sacks, one interception and six passes defensed.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Expected to undergo knee surgery
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Brown (knee) is feared to have suffered a season-ending meniscus injury during Sunday's 47-10 loss to the Saints, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Brown's injury is among the worst pieces of news the Panthers could receive after the Week 1 rout. Following the offseason departure of Brian Burns, Brown was expected to anchor the front seven after signing a four-year, $96 million contract extension. Brown will require knee surgery, but a timeline for his return won't become clear until doctors can go in and determine the severity of the damage. It sounds inevitable that the Panthers will soon rule Brown out for a Week 2 tilt versus the Chargers, which could thrust Jayden Peevy and LaBryan Ray into expanded roles.
Brown has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Panthers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Per Schefter, Brown's four-year extension with Carolina is for $96 million and includes $63.165 million guaranteed. The 2020 first-rounder is coming off a 2023 regular season in which he racked up 103 tackles -- an NFL record for a defensive lineman -- to go along with 2.0 sacks and an interception in 17 games. By extending Brown, the Panthers retain a major piece in the middle of their defense for the next several years, a key move for a unit that no longer includes Brian Burns following his trade to the Giants in March.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Record-setting season
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Brown finished the regular season with 103 tackles (57 solo), including 2.0 sacks, along with an interception in 17 games.
Brown enjoyed an exemplary campaign, as his tackle total set an NFL record for defensive linemen. The 25-year-old has increased his tackle tally across each of his four seasons, making good on the first-round investment Carolina made in him back in 2020. While 2024 is currently slated to be Brown's final year with the Panthers, it wouldn't be surprising if a new front office seeks to secure him to a long-term deal before next season.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Secures interception in loss
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Brown recorded 10 tackles (five solo), intercepted a pass and deflected another in Sunday's 28-6 loss to the Saints.
Brown was able to reach double-digit tackles for the second time this season and also intercepted a pass from Derek Carr in the second quarter. The defensive lineman has now registered a career-high 74 tackles, including a sack, over 13 contests so far in 2023.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Active for Week 6
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Brown (knee) is active for Sunday's game against Miami.
Brown picked up the injury during a Week 5 matchup against the Lions, though he'll be ready to go after turning in a limited practice Friday. He has played a key role along the Carolina defensive line, tallying 29 tackles and a sack across five games.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Leads team in tackles
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Brown recorded nine tackles (eight solo, two for a loss) and one sack in Sunday's 24-10 loss to the Falcons.
Brown put a stop to the Falcons' last drive of the first half by sacking quarterback Desmond Ridder for 13 yards. Seven of Brown's nine tackles came in the second half as Atlanta shifted to more running plays late with the lead. He is well on his way to eclipsing the career-high 67 tackles he had last season. The Panthers will face another divisional rival in Week 2 as they take on the Saints in their home opener on Monday night.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Fifth-year option picked up
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Brown had his fifth-year option picked up by the Panthers on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Brown has been very productive over three seasons with the Panthers, most recently recording a career-high 67 tackles, including a sack, while deflecting seven passes and intercepting a ball over 17 games in 2022. The team will now have another year of control on Brown before he could reach free agency following the 2024 campaign.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Career high in stops
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Brown made a career-high 67 tackles (30 solo) to go with one sack and seven passes defended while playing all 17 games across the 2022 season.
Brown also intercepted the first pass of his career, an added bonus to his most productive tackling campaign thus far. Since being drafted seventh overall in 2020, Brown has struggled getting to the passer consistently, but he at least elevated his performance elsewhere this season. Depending on whether the Panthers pick up his fifth-year option or not, 2023 could be Brown's final under contact in Carolina.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Clears COVID protocols
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Brown was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
Brown returns in time for Sunday's matchup with the Buccaneers after missing last Sunday against the Bills. The 2020 first-round selection should return to his starting nose tackle role, where he's compiled 36 tackles (23 solo), two sacks and four passes defensed through 13 games in 2021.
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Panthers' Derrick Brown: Starts with sack
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Brown finished with four tackles (two solo) and a sack in Sunday's 19-14 win over the Jets.
Brown dropped opposing quarterback Zach Wilson for a 10-yard loss in the fourth quarter, starting his second season with a bang. Last year's seventh overall pick defended a pass as well Sunday, showing very encouraging signs to begin the campaign.
Brown finished the 2020 season with 34 tackles (21 solo), two sacks and four passes defended in 16 games played.
Brown was drafted seventh overall last year and immediately became a starter in the middle of the Panthers' defense. At 6-5 and 318 pounds, Brown proved to be a disruptive interior presence, playing 70 percent of Carolina's defensive snaps overall and pitching in with a pair of sacks of Aaron Rodgers in Week 15. The 22-year-old will now aim to elevate his game further heading into his second season.
