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Halfway through a Pro Bowl-caliber season, one of the Carolina Panthers' most physical and important defensive players has been felled by a noncontact injury.
The Panthers announced Monday that outside linebacker Thomas Davis, the team's second-leading tackler, is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Davis suffered the injury early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 30-20 loss in New Orleans when his knee buckled as he planted his foot in the turf at the Superdome.
"I feel bad for the young man because he's put a lot into it," said coach John Fox. "He was playing at a high level. It's unfortunate. I feel bad for him and his family."
The leading candidate to replace Davis appears to be Landon Johnson, who started 53 games in four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and once for Davis this season. However, coaches also could turn to James Anderson or Dan Connor, a 2008 fourth-round pick and former Penn State All-American.
Johnson, who had 10 tackles in a 20-9 loss to Buffalo on Oct.25, said he was sad to hear about Davis' injury, but that he would do his best to fill in if called upon.
"That's obviously big shoes to fill," said Johnson.
No matter who gets the job, the Panthers (3-5) won't be able to match Davis' speed and athleticism, which was on display Sunday as he and fellow linebacker Jon Beason clamped down on the Saints' high-powered offense.
"I haven't seen another one like him on any team I've played on or on another team - just flat out crazy talent, crazy athleticism," Carolina linebacker Na'il Diggs said of Davis.
"You could work all offseason to try to get it and you'd never get it. It's a gift he was born with, which is something he has in his tool belt post-surgery (so) he can make leaps and bounds ahead of even where he is."
Davis, a 2005 first-round draft pick, seemed like an ideal fit for the weakside - or "Will" - linebacker position in the "Cover 2" defensive scheme installed this season by first-year Panthers defensive coordinator Ron Meeks.
"This style of defense really fits well with the Will linebacker," said safety Chris Harris. "It's pretty much made for the Will linebacker to be a playmaker. Thomas, with his physical skill and ability, was making plays left and right."
Harris pointed out how former All-Pro Derrick Brooks excelled at the position in Tampa Bay and Lance Briggs is now doing so in Chicago, both in defenses similar to Carolina's.
Davis ranked second on the team in tackles with 63 heading into the game at New Orleans and unofficially had six more against the Saints, including two for losses. (The team's final tackle tally for the New Orleans game won't be available until later this week).
Also this season, Davis had two sacks, an interception and two passes defensed.
The injury occurred with 10 minutes, 40 seconds remaining in Sunday's game on a 17-yard pass from Saints quarterback Drew Brees to Pierre Thomas. Davis wasn't in on the tackle and wasn't near the end of the play.
Davis was in the final year of a five-year contract and appeared on the verge of a potential big payday if the Panthers followed their usual form of trying to tie up their core players with long-term extensions.
Normally, a five-year veteran at the end of his contract could become an unrestricted free agent, but that will only be the case for Davis if the NFL and NFL Players Association settle the wide divide in their negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
If no agreement is reached, the 2010 season will be an uncapped year and players will need six years to become an unrestricted free agent, thus making Davis a restricted free agent.
However, the Panthers still could try to sign him to a new contract if they're satisfied with his prospects for recovery.
"The good thing about it is he has been playing unbelievable," defensive tackle Damione Lewis said of Davis being in a contract year. "You have 32 teams watching that. I feel like if the Panthers want to bring him back, they're not going to hold (the injury) against him, because he's really done a great job this year."
Thanks in part to Davis' play, the Panthers' defense has come on strong in recent weeks and ranks ninth in the NFL.
Even without Davis, Diggs said he thinks Carolina can continue to improve.
"It is a big loss, but guys are going to have to step up and pick their game up," said Diggs. "I've seen lesser athletes play that position in this defense and (they) did OK. They're not a Thomas, but they get the job done. That's what we've got to have."
Charles Chandler: (704) 358-5123 and @CharlesChandler on Twitter.
