CHARLOTTE – Defensive end Frank Alexander, a leading candidate for a starting job opposite Charles Johnson, will miss the 2015 season with a torn right Achilles tendon.
Alexander suffered the injury on the fourth play of Saturday's preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.
"I'm disappointed for Frank," head coach Ron Rivera said. "That's a tough one."
Particularly tough for Alexander, who was suspended for the first 14 games of the 2014 season for violating the NFL policy and program for substances of abuse.
The fourth-year defensive end was entering a make or break season, but now he won't get a chance to prove himself.