Brandon Smith was just getting started here in 2022. And unfortunately, his year might’ve just come to an end.
Ahead of their Week 15 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Carolina Panthers placed the rookie linebacker on injured reserve. That’ll put Smith, who sustained an ankle injury in last week’s 30-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks, on the shelf for at least the next four weeks.
Carolina drafted the Penn State University product in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. He has played in 12 of the Panthers’ 13 games this season.
Smith was almost strictly a special teams contributor from Weeks 1 to 10, having played in just 10 defensive snaps through his first nine outings. Over the past three contests, the 6-foot-3, 241-pound defender racked up 33 looks on defense, totaling three combined tackles.
If the Panthers clinch a playoff berth, which can happen with four straight wins to close out the campaign, Smith can be eligible to return.
