CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Panthers safety Colin Branch will miss the entire season because of a knee injury during Carolina's preseason loss to the New York Giants.
General manager Marty Hurney said Sunday it was too early to say how the Panthers will replace Branch, or if first-round draft pick Thomas Davis will return to safety after one week at linebacker.
"We're still going over the film," Hurney said. "The players aren't even back yet, so we haven't even started those kinds of discussions yet."
Branch tore both the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the first quarter of the 27-21 loss Saturday night at Giants Stadium. It appeared that Carolina linebackers Will Witherspoon and Dan Morgan rolled onto Branch's leg as they went after receiver David Tyree, who slipped past on what became a 90-yard touchdown.
Branch started last season at free safety, but spent much of training camp battling for a starting spot at strong safety while the Panthers retooled the secondary to make room for Davis.
But a lack of depth forced Carolina to move Davis to strongside linebacker last week. The move allowed Branch to return to free safety while Mike Minter went from free back to strong, where he has spent most of his career before the shuffle.
The immediate solution for Carolina may be Idrees Bashir, who was signed during the offseason to add depth to the secondary. He started all 51 games he played in for Indianapolis and had been pushing Branch for the starting job,
The Panthers also have Marlon McCree, another free-agent addition, who has nine career interceptions in 39 starts.
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