Carolina Panthers first-round defensive tackle Vernon Butler will miss the next two to three weeks because of a high-ankle sprain, a source informed of the injury told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on Monday.
Butler was wearing a cast on his right foot Monday, Rapoport added. He suffered the injury in the second half of Carolina's 22-10 loss to the Vikings on Sunday while tackling Minnesota tailback Jerick McKinnon.
The rookie has accumulated one sack and three tackles over the team's first three games. Butler, a collegiate defensive standout at Louisiana Tech, was the No. 30 selection in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Carolina's defensive interior has been a strength so far this season, a group that features Butler, Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. Losing Butler, however, hurts the unit's depth, which is especially key given how much the front rotates throughout a game.
