The Carolina Panthers’ “next man up” approach to injuries will get a serious test in its secondary.
An MRI on Monday confirmed the team’s concerns about Charles Tillman: The veteran cornerback has a torn ACL in his right knee, an injury that will end Tillman’s season and might end his career.
Tillman partially tore the ligament against the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 15 and missed the next four games. After second-year corner Bené Benwikere broke a bone in his leg, Tillman returned and started the past three games.
But Tillman re-injured the knee Sunday without contact on the fourth play of the second half of a 38-10 victory over Tampa Bay.