Panthers Lose Nic Scourton to Torn ACL at Training Camp

While it’s exciting for NFL fans that training camp is kicking back off and players are returning to the field to prepare for the upcoming season, this is unfortunately also the time of year when injuries can become a major storyline.

And for the Carolina Panthers, that means second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton is already expected to be lost for the season after going down with a right knee injury during Thursday’s practice.

Scourton was carted off the field and has reportedly been diagnosed with a torn ACL. Even with modern medicine and faster recovery timelines, that injury is expected to keep him out for the entire 2026 season.

Scourton is expected to seek a second opinion on the knee, but it appears to be the worst-case scenario for both him individually and the Panthers as a team.

It’s a huge blow to Carolina’s defense.

The 21-year-old was visibly emotional after suffering the injury, and the reaction from his teammates around him made it clear that it appeared serious. Practice came to a stop before Scourton was ultimately taken inside.

The former second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft showed a tremendous amount of promise as a rookie, playing all 17 games and recording 47 tackles, five sacks and a forced fumble.

He quickly became a legitimate piece of the Panthers’ defensive scheme and was expected to take a major leap in his second season alongside newly acquired pass rusher Jaelan Phillips.

Now, Carolina will have to adjust those plans before training camp has truly even gotten underway.

Again, as exciting as it is that football is back, that also means injuries throughout the summer ramp-up period.

And the first major one ahead of the 2026 NFL season is Scourton, one of Carolina’s most promising young defenders.