Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks is expected to participate in offseason program

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Running back Jonathon Brooks has played only three games since the Panthers drafted him in the second round in 2024. He missed all of 2025 with a twice-repaired ACL in his right knee. Coach Dave Canales announced Monday that Brooks is expected to participate in offseason workouts, saying Brooks has progressed to the point where he's ready to be "put in a football scenario with other people around him.'' "I know what he looked like prior to the injury,'' Canales said at the NFL owners meetings Monday, via David Newton of ESPN. "I know what that player looks like , so I have that in the back of my mind. And that's a vision that I hope he has, too, so we can go and attack that.'' Brooks' first knee surgery came in November 2023 while he was at the University of Texas. The Panthers still used the 46th overall pick on him, knowing he would miss most of his rookie season. Brooks missed nine games in 2024 before re-injuring the knee in his third career game, forcing him to miss all of last season. His expected return is why the Panthers let Rico Dowdle walk, leaving Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, AJ Dillon and Trevor Etienne in the running backs room. "We'll make sure we do the right thing for Jonathon for sure," Canales said. "But I see the excitement. He's been in the building, he's been working out, full training with our guys. I know that he's excited about this opportunity.''