Panthers minicamp: Injury updates for Derrick Brown, Tetairoa McMillan

It speaks to just how bad last season got started for the Carolina Panthers that losing to the New Orleans Saints by 37 points wasn't even the worst thing that happened to them that week. Derrick Brown still isn't sure how it happened or when, but he wound up suffering a meniscus tear at some point in that game that put him on the sidelines for the rest of the 2024 campaign.

Losing Brown exposed Carolina's nonexistent interior defensive line depth - and set the stage for a record-setting bad defense. Good news: Brown told reporters after today's minicamp practice that he hopes to be ready to return to practice by training camp.

Panthers Pro Bowl DL Derrick Brown says he hopes to be ready to go in training camp. pic.twitter.com/f4uJAoONhZ
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) June 12, 2025

Getting Brown back in the lineup will give the Panthers an instant boost - but they have also added a lot more depth to that interior group since last season ended. So, losing Brown for a game or two in 2025 with a minor injury shouldn't be nearly as costly as it might have been otherwise.

The only other injury update of note concerns the team's first-round draft pick, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. He was held out of practice both today and Wednesday after getting into a collision with a teammate during Tuesday's first minicamp session. The team called sitting McMillan out a precautionary measure.

Final day of #Panthers minicamp. Part of my view. Tetairoa McMillan is still out as a precautionary measure after a collision Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/CozUA0WKQ9
— Alex Zietlow (@alexzietlow05) June 12, 2025

Ordinarily you'd want a rookie who's expected to start to get as many offseason reps as possible. However, given how important McMillan is likely to be for Carolina's passing game it's probably best that they make sure he's healthy in time for Week 1 in Jacksonville.

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