Panthers News: Jonathon Brooks Cleared
Jonathon Brooks is healthy. After two torn ACLs in roughly 13 months and an entire lost season, the Carolina Panthers running back said Tuesday that he has been cleared to take part in the team’s offseason program with no restrictions.
“I’ve been cleared by my surgeon,” Brooks told reporters at the team facility. “Feels good getting back to the football movements. Feel close to 100 percent, getting there. Still just going with the plan they have for me.”
The news was first reported by Joe Person of The Athletic.
Brooks, 22, has played just three games in his NFL career despite being two years removed from being drafted 46th overall out of Texas. He finished his brief debut season with 9 carries for 22 yards rushing and three receptions for 23 receiving yards before tearing his right ACL for the second time, matching the same ligament he had torn during his final college season, in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was placed on the PUP list before the 2025 season and missed the year entirely.
“It was definitely rough,” Brooks said. “But I just rooted back to my faith, my family, because I know God has a plan for me.”
The path back to the field is clear, but the backfield he is returning to is crowded. Chuba Hubbard, who rushed for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025 in a career year, is locked in as the starter through 2028. Behind him, Brooks will compete with AJ Dillon, signed this spring on a one-year deal after Rico Dowdle left for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as fourth-year back Trevor Etienne and others for a secondary role.
Dowdle’s departure opened an opportunity, but it did not create a clear RB2 vacancy. The Panthers signed Dillon precisely because they are uncertain how Brooks will handle a full workload coming off two major knee surgeries. Dillon, a 6-foot, 247-pound short-yardage specialist, fills a different physical profile from Brooks but targets the same carry pool.
“He’s pushed me to be my best every day this offseason,” Brooks said of Hubbard. “We hang out all the time. He’s really big in his faith, so we push each other there, and as we work out. That means a lot.”
Hubbard echoed the optimism. “I think he’s in a really good spot, a great spot,” Hubbard said. “Throughout this process, there’s gonna be highs and lows, but throughout this whole offseason, I think he just progressed in a substantial amount. Just to see him build his confidence, get back to himself on the field, and get closer to who he knows he can be, it’s been cool to be a part of.”
Carolina coaches have also been encouraged. Head coach Dave Canales said he expects Brooks to be available for OTAs and mandatory minicamp. Whether he can sustain that availability through a full season remains the question that will define his 2026 fantasy value, modest in redraft formats, but quietly interesting in dynasty leagues for managers willing to wait.