Jonathon Brooks was back on the field when Panthers training camp opened, and that alone counts as a major step for a player whose rookie year never really got off the ground.
Brooks, the Panthers’ 2024 second-round pick, arrived in the league still working his way back from a torn ACL. He finally made his debut late last season, only for the same knee to give out again in his third game. He missed the rest of the year while rehabbing, and in April he said he was feeling close to 100 percent after that long recovery.
On Thursday, Dave Canales sounded like a coach who believes the version of Brooks he saw coming out of Texas is back in view.
“Really looking forward to, just the hard work that JB has had to do over the last couple of years to get him to this point,” Canales said, via the team’s website. “He feels great.
He feels strong. He looks fast; he looks like the guy that I remember, and I’m really excited for that.
But more so just, for a guy to go through things and to be able to have the emotional and mental resiliency to go through that training twice, to get himself back, this is a celebration, and you can feel the gratitude in him; you can feel the focus and how important this opportunity is for him.”
The Panthers do have Chuba Hubbard and Trevor Etienne back from last year, but Rico Dowdle is gone to Pittsburgh after leading the team in rushing. That opens the door for Brooks to carve out a piece of the backfield if he keeps stacking good days in camp and stays on the coaching staff’s radar.
In Other News...
Panthers Hit With Another Brutal Camp Blow At The Worst Time
The Panthers had already spent part of the week talking about the future of their home, with David Tepper and Roger Goodell announcing a 20-year extension of the Bank of America naming-rights deal alongside the $1.3 billion stadium renovation that is expected to run through 2030. Goodell even raised the possibility of Charlotte becoming a future Super Bowl or NFL Draft host once the building work is done, a reminder that the franchise is trying to think big while its current roster is still taking shape.
Training camp, though, has been a much harsher reality check. Carolina opened practice with another key defender sidelined, and the injury pileup has already pushed more responsibility onto recent additions such as AJ Dillon, Luke Fortner and Monroe Freeling. With Jaycee Horn also missing time and Taylor Moton on reserve/non-football injury, the Panthers are suddenly asking a lot from the depth they added to stabilize the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Hit Another Breaking Point With Two More Starter Injuries
Training camp has already been a test of depth for Carolina, and the latest turn only adds to the strain. Starting right guard Robert Hunt and starting cornerback Mike Jackson were both limited by back tightness, leaving the Panthers to wait on further evaluation as head coach Dave Canales said each player will undergo full imaging.
The timing is especially awkward for a roster that is already juggling multiple key injuries on both sides of the ball. Carolina has been trying to piece together its offensive line without starting tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton, while the defense has also absorbed setbacks involving Nic Scourton, Tershawn Wharton, Bobby Brown III and Jaycee Horn. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Already Face A Camp Depth Issue After Another Roster Shakeup
Training camp has already turned into a churn point for Carolina, with the Panthers making six roster moves as they try to keep enough bodies in place to get through practice. The latest wave brought in defensive linemen Elijah Garcia and Kyon Barrs along with defensive back DeCarlos Nicholson, while offensive tackle Derrell Bailey, linebacker Jared Bartlett and defensive back Mike Reid were waived to make room.
Carolina also claimed offensive tackle Ryan Hayes off waivers and moved on from undrafted wide receiver Kobe Prentice, another sign the depth chart is still being adjusted on the fly. The timing matters because the Panthers are already dealing with a pileup of injuries on defense, and the camp roster keeps changing as they try to protect themselves against further attrition. [Read more 🡒]