CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina running back Stephen Davis had microfracture surgery on his right knee that is potentially career threatening.
The Panthers downplayed the severity of Davis' procedure Wednesday. Backup running back DeShaun Foster had the same procedure in 2002 and didn't miss a beat, but wide receiver Patrick Jeffers had it and never played again.
"I think everybody is different," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "Stephen is competitive and has drive and determination. It was just done and it will be a process that takes several months. We'll take it as it goes."
Davis played in only two games this season before having arthroscopic surgery Sept. 17 to clean out torn cartilage in his knee. He played in one game after the procedure, but every time he tried to practice, his knee would swell.
Carolina put him on injured reserve last week, and he had the procedure Tuesday that requires doctors to drill holes into the kneecap.
When Foster had similar surgery, he missed one season and came back for a solid 2003 campaign. But Davis is six years older, and has a history of injury problems: He's played just one full 16-game schedule in his eight NFL seasons.
Davis turns 31 in March and has three years remaining on his contract. Although he ran for a franchise-best 1,444 yards last season, he ended this year with just 92 yards rushing.
Hurney said Carolina hopes Davis will follow the same rehabilitation path as Foster, who underwent microfracture surgery in October 2002 and returned to practice the following summer for training camp.
Unsure of how effective Foster would be, the Panthers signed Davis before the 2003 season, a move that allowed them to ease Foster back into the lineup.
If the Panthers follow a similar plan with Davis, he could begin next season as a backup to Foster, who is out this year with a broken collarbone.
"We haven't talked about a timetable at this point," Hurney said.
I have to say I was bummed when we got rid of him but I think it was a blessing in disguise. He has been breaking down since we traded him and now it appears his injuries are catching up with him. Loved him while he was here but this may have turned out to be a good move with all the money he ended up getting.
The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.
I'm glad we have Portis. I also loved when we had Brad Johnson and Davis, and we ended up around 2nd or 3rd best offense in the NFC. Davis was a beast. I hope all goes well with him, I know football is all he wants right now.
I wish S.Davis the best. He was great while he was here. He actually wanted to stay and be a core redskin, but because of Spurrier's system he had to go. Great Move Spurrier (sarcasm).
"Tough times don't last Tough people do."- Marcus Washington, Redskins Linebacker
"Big time Players make Big Time Plays in Big Games !!!"- Santana Moss Redskins WR during an upset by The U over Florida Sate
No, it was a great move by Spurrier. Stephen Davis was gonna cripple us to keep, and he was an oft-injured guy anyway.
Why is it that we Washington fans only remember the good stuff ? Davis was always hurt. If you think about it, we were vindicated last season when he suffered myriad injuries to his legs and knees and was unable to participate in half the games !
Joe wouldn't have kept him, either. You need two good legs to run on.
"Sit back and watch the Redskins.
SOMETHING MAGICAL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"
JPFair- A fan's fan. RIP, brother
Still, it didn't seem like a smart move at the time to get rid of him, or at the very least to see things get ugly the way they did before he left. Also, pardon my poor recollection, but I don't remember us getting anything for him. Didn't we just cut him?
I wish him the best for a recovery, I'll always be a big fan of #48. But I think I see this going the Terrell Davis route, really. He's never been an extremely healthy guy.
Wish that I could make enough money by age 31 to retire and live well. . .
Aww.Too bad for him. That's what happens when u ditch us like that. and I dunno why I baught a Deion Sanders jersey. I think it was before I found out that he ditched us. I hope the same for him buwahahaha
I loved Stephen Davis! I hate to admit this but this was the one thing Steve Spurrier did right although he made this move for all the wrong reasons it turned out to save us! We never would have signed Coles and never would have been able to get Portis! We would have been stuck with a hurt on the major decline 90 million dollar back!
and I dunno why I baught a Deion Sanders jersey. I think it was before I found out that he ditched us. I hope the same for him 
buwahahaha