The Panthers’ worst fears were confirmed with additional medical tests on Curtis Samuel‘s injured left ankle Tuesday. The rookie will miss the rest of the season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, after being diagnosed with ligament damage.

The Panthers have only four other receivers on their active roster – Devin Funchess, Russell Shepard, Kaelin Clay and Brenton Bersin — but Damiere Byrd is eligible to come off injured reserve for the team’s game against the Saints on Dec. 3. Byrd broke his forearm in Week 4.

Samuel, a second-round pick, twisted his right ankle in the preseason. He missed Thursday’s practice after tweaking it.

Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin traded to Buffalo, source tells ESPN.

Related players: Tyrod Taylor, Cam Newton, Devin Funchess, Russell Shepard, Curtis Samuel

This is a clear upgrade for Tyrod Taylor even if Benjamin's stock takes a hit as he tries to learn a new offense and get used to a new quarterback midseason. We generally shy away from receivers who change teams as free agents, unless they get a clear promotion or an upgrade at quarterback, and that goes double for receivers that are traded to a new team in the middle of the season. The silver lining is that Buffalo has a favorable passing schedule down the stretch and there is a dearth of receiving options, so Benjamin may get peppered with targets once he gets up to speed. In Carolina, it's a downgrade for Cam Newton while the other receivers (Devin Funchess, Russell Shepard and Curtis Samuel) should see an uptick in snaps and targets.