Earlier today, Daryl Williams went down with an apparent serious knee injury. It was reported that the All Pro offensive tackle screamed in agony when his knee buckled, and a cart was required to get him off the field. Thankfully, the prognosis isn’t as bad as initially feared.
Daryl Williams dislocated his right patella and tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee in this morning’s practice,” head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion said in a statement. “We are beginning the early stages of rehabilitation, and there is currently no timetable for his return.”
There’s no timetable for Williams’ return, but it’s highly unlikely this injury will keep him out for the season, which was the initial fear.
The MCL tear will likely be the limiting factor on his return time. A severe tear typically takes about one to two months to heal. It’s possible we see Williams back after the Panthers week 4 bye, or if the team elects to be more cautious, we could see him go on injured reserve with the expectation that he’ll be reactivated for the second half of the season.
Obviously you never want to see anyone get hurt, but it’s very relieving to find out that Williams’ injury isn’t as bad as we thought.