SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Panthers' offensive line took another hit Tuesday when guard Amini Silatolu left practice early with a sore left knee.
A closer examination revealed Silatolu has a torn meniscus. He'll undergo surgery Friday, and according to head athletic trainer Ryan Vermillion, "will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis."
Silatolu, who had been taking the bulk of first-team snaps at left guard, is the second offensive lineman to go down in training camp. Starting right tackle Daryl Williams is out indefinitely after he dislocated his patella and tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the third practice.
Brendan Mahon, an undrafted rookie out of Penn State, appears likely to start in Silatolu's place for Thursday's preseason opener at the Bills after Mahon took the large majority of first-team reps in Tuesday's practice. Fellow undrafted rookie Taylor Hearn is also expected to see time at left guard, while veterans Tyler Larsen, Jeremiah Sirles and Greg Van Roten are still potential options as the Panthers look to fill another large hole on the offensive line.
