For beleaguered wide receiver Kevin Dyson, whose promising career has been marred by injuries, the misfortune continues.

The five-year veteran, signed by the Carolina Panthers as an unrestricted free agent this spring, suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a Wednesday practice session, ESPN.com has confirmed through league and team sources. Dyson will undergo Thursday surgery and likely will miss the entire 2003 season.

	Dyson

Carolina officials immediately began scrambling for a possible replacement, and sources told ESPN.com the team has already contacted the representative for free agent Antonio Freeman, the eight-year veteran who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2002. Freeman is arguably the top receiver available, but is also being pursued by three other teams.

The Achilles injury is the latest setback in a string of mishaps for Dyson, who drew praise from Panthers coach John Fox earlier in the week for his performance during the team's minicamp and organized practice sessions. Dyson missed all but two games in 2000 after suffering a catastrophic knee injury in an early-season practice. A hamstring injury last season limited him to 11 games and just 41 receptions.

There were some promising reports around noon Wednesday that the injury might be just a strain, which still would have sidelined Dyson for weeks, but subsequent tests revealed the tear. The Panthers were hopeful that the former Tennessee Titans first-rounder could add a vertical dimension to their passing game.

Dyson, 27, signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Panthers after spending the first five years of his career with the Titans, who selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 1998 draft.

He has played in 58 games and started 54, and has 176 catches for 2,310 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.