Jonathon Brooks finally got a full practice under his belt. On Thursday, the Carolina Panthers running back took the field for the opening session of 2026 training camp and, for the first time in his NFL career, participated as a full go — no restrictions, no pitch count, according to Panthers Wire.
It showed. The Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye reported that Brooks was cutting well through traffic early in the session and got reps with the first team, according to SI.com. That’s the version of Brooks the Panthers thought they were getting when they traded up for him in the second round two years ago.
Canales: “This Is a Celebration”
Coach Dave Canales didn’t hide his excitement after practice.
“Really looking forward to just the hard work that J.B. has had to do over the last couple of years to get him to this point,” Canales told reporters. “He feels great. He feels strong. He looks fast; he looks like the guy that I remember, and I’m really excited for that.”
Canales went further, framing Brooks’ return as bigger than football.
“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.”
Two ACL tears in the same knee, back to back, would break most comeback timelines. Brooks tore the ligament during his final season at Texas, then tore it again in Week 14 of his rookie year — just three games into his actual NFL debut, according to NFL.com. The Panthers officially ruled him out for the 2025 season last May.
Nine Career Carries, a Lot of Unfinished Business
Brooks enters his third pro season with nine career NFL carries. That’s the cost of two knee reconstructions eating into what was supposed to be his breakout window. His workload has been a roller coaster dating back to high school: 21 carries as a Texas freshman in 2021, 30 in 2022, then a monster 187-carry, 1,139-yard season in 2023 that made him a first-round talent in a lot of draft rooms. Then almost nothing — nine carries in 2024, zero in 2025.
| Season | Carries | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 (Texas) | 21 | Backup behind Bijan Robinson |
| 2022 (Texas) | 30 | Limited role |
| 2023 (Texas) | 187 | 1,139 rush yards before ACL tear |
| 2024 (Panthers) | 9 | Rookie year cut short by second ACL tear |
| 2025 (Panthers) | 0 | Ruled out for the season |
The Panthers’ offseason moves suggest they still believe in that 2023 tape. Carolina let veteran Rico Dowdle walk in free agency and didn’t spend a draft pick on a running back this spring. The lone addition was journeyman AJ Dillon, who has his own injury history. That’s not a roster built to bury Brooks on the depth chart — it’s one built to give him a real runway if his knee holds up.
What’s Next in the Backfield
Chuba Hubbard opens camp as Carolina’s starter, with Brooks lined up as the primary backup. But NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe has already floated where this could go. “Belief is if (big if) healthy, Brooks forms strong 1-2 punch (with) Chuba Hubbard (and) eventually (becomes) lead RB,” Wolfe said, according to SI.com. That’s analysis, not a confirmed plan — Hubbard is the starter today, full stop. But if Brooks stays on the field, a carries split becomes a real conversation as the season goes on.
Thursday’s practice carried a heavier note, too. Panthers rookie linebacker Nic Scourton went down with a right knee injury late in the same session and was carted off, with the team confirming afterward that he tore his ACL and will miss the 2026 season, per ESPN. Every player on the roster came over to check on him before he left the field — a reminder, on a day defined by one player’s return, of how fast that can flip for someone else.
For now, the story in the backfield is a positive one. Brooks looked like himself again. Whether that holds up once the pads come on remains the real test.
