Panthers WR Benjamin carted off field with leg injury

Benjamin led the team in targets with 145, tied for sixth-most in the NFL. He also caught six touchdowns.

Best wishes to Kelvin Benjamin for a speedy and successful recovery.

The Panthers also have a veteran leader in Cotchery, 33.

The latest update reveals that Benjamin tore his ACL. I had already thought that Brown was going to be the starter opposite Benjamin, because he was the ideal complement to him, so now it should be nearly guaranteed that he will start.

Dallas Thomas had a satisfied look on his face and, most importantly, no visible signs of a scrap as he walked off the practice field Wednesday. Funchess was drafted 41st overall by the Panthers in the 2015 draft, but he is an unproven rookie and is dealing with an injury of his own, according to ProFootballTalk.

But with Carolina’s top wide receiver out, Funchess was set to be the team’s new leading man after recording 1,715 yards in three seasons at Michigan.

Only one short skirmish happened Wednesday with Carolina offensive tackle Michael Oher briefly scrapping with Miami’s Olivier Vernon.

The Carolina Panthers are going for their third straight NFC South division crown, but this blow could be an injury that the Panthers can’t recover from.

“Obviously, we feel very bad for Kelvin”, general manager Dave Gettleman said in a news release. “Losing a guy like that on any team, it’s going to be big”. “They’ve got a good group of guys over there who know how to practice and get better”.

Perhaps Funchess can be that guy.

And there is no doubt that a healthy Benjamin is one of the best young wide receiving talents in the NFL today. There’s a good chance Carolina’s playoff hopes hit the ground simultaneously with its No. 1 wide receiver. He was a member of the Indianapolis Colts for his entire career.

“Cam was right there with his teammate”, Rivera said.

“He and Kelvin are different type players”, Rivera said of the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Funchess.

Panthers Coach Ron Rivera told reporters afterward that Benjamin suffered “a sprain” during practice this morning, and was headed back to Charlotte to have an MRI on his left knee. “It’s a competitive game and a heated game and we were able to keep it professional and play fast with no cheap shots or anything like that”.

One of the hard departures following the 2013 season was speedster Ted Ginn, Jr. In 2 games in the postseason, he had a total of 108 receiving yards on 11 catches with two touchdowns. But he went undrafted out of Ohio State for a reason.

Reggie Wayne at 36 is probably the most decorated of all of these vets.

And yet, all that being said, the Panthers are not doomed. But he went undrafted, goes just 5’11, 178 pounds and has piss-poor measurables. And they’ve ridden a strong defense and ball control-style of play to success before.