Jonathon Brooks' Return Might Be the Best Addition Panthers Can Make

The Carolina Panthers drafted Jonathon Brooks in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft. In fact, they traded up to get him. That's how much they believed he could make a star pairing with Chuba Hubbard.

The 2026 regular season is coming in a few months, and Brooks has 12 total touches in the NFL. He missed half of the 2024 season while recovering from a torn ACL, and a few games in, he tore that same ACL again.

Barring an unforeseen setback, he will be healthy Week 1 this year. His return could be exactly what the Panthers' backfield needs.

Jonathon Brooks might be a really good addition to the Panthers

Rookie Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (24) during OTAs | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

There's always a concern that a player coming back from a torn ACL won't be the same. We take for granted players coming back from that devastating injury all the time.

When that ACL has been torn twice within the span of two years, that concern level rises exponentially. Jonathon Brooks might be operating with one usable knee.

But if he's healthy, the Panthers might have a secret weapon no one remembers. If he were a draft prospect this year, he'd be one of the best in the class based on his college stats.

If Jonathon Brooks was a prospect in this year's RB class, he would rank:
- 1st in yards/rec
- 2nd in yards/att
- 2nd in forced missed tackle rate
- 2nd in total YPG
- 2nd in PFF grade
- 3rd in yards per route run
- 3rd in first down rate
- 4th in yards after contact / att
— I Don’t Watch Film (Football Analytics) (@NoFilm_Analysis) February 13, 2026

Those numbers include Jeremiyah Love, who was a Heisman finalist last season. Brooks would be one of the best new running backs if he were in the draft. He's also only going to be 23 by the time Week 1 rolls around.

There is no way to predict what Brooks will look like having torn his ACL twice, but if the full season off and a full offseason of recovery can help him get back to speed, the Panthers' backfield could be in good shape.

He's still not the shifty receiving back that would probably work best in tandem with Chuba Hubbard (think the difference between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery), but he is a different style of back.

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (24) during the first quarter | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Hubbard is going to run through contact, while Brooks has been pretty adept at avoiding it. He will be a change of pace, and if he's healthy, he will probably be a pretty good backup. The Panthers won't need Rico Dowdle to return or Trevor Etienne to magically improve.

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