Jonathon Brooks: Everything you need to know

Brooks (knee) said Tuesday that he's been fully cleared to participate in the Panthers' offseason program, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. Brooks said he feels "close to 100 percent" after tearing his right ACL for the second time in Week 14 of the 2024 campaign. Brooks missed the entirety of the 2025 campaign but appears ready to contribute this season. The offseason has set up nicely for Brooks after Rico Dowdle left in free agency, leaving Brooks as the clear favorite to open the season as the RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard. AJ Dillon was signed to a minimum-level deal but has barely played over the last two seasons, and Trevor Etienne is a satellite back who mainly played special teams as a 2025 rookie.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Monday that he expects Brooks (knee) to be ready to participate in OTAs and minicamp, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. General manager Dan Morgan said late February that Carolina is optimistic about Brooks' recovery and his odds of contributing on offense during the 2026 campaign. A 2024 second-round pick, Brooks had his rookie debut delayed due to recovery from a right ACL tear sustained in college, and he then suited up for just two games before suffering an ACL tear in the same knee. With Rico Dowdle having moved on to Pittsburgh, Brooks faces a clear opportunity to contribute behind Chuba Hubbard if fully healthy, with AJ Dillon and Trevor Etienne representing his top competition for backfield touches.

General manager Dan Morgan said Tuesday that Brooks (knee) is doing well in his rehab, and the Panthers are optimistic that the running back will be able to contribute in 2026, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports. Morgan didn't provide any specifics regarding where Brooks stands in his rehab program for the right knee ACL tear he sustained in December 2024, but the 22-year-old at least appears to have avoided any setbacks in his recovery from surgery. A second-round pick in 2024, Brooks has appeared in just three games through two seasons, as he was delayed at the start of his rookie campaign while recovering from an ACL tear in the same knee that he sustained in college. Coming off a pair of major surgeries, Brooks will need to prove that his explosiveness hasn't been compromised as he aims to secure a role out of the Carolina backfield. The Panthers leaned primarily on the duo of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard out of the backfield in 2025, but with Dowdle bound for free agency this offseason, Carolina could have an opening for Brooks to serve as the top complement to Hubbard during the upcoming season.