Jonathon Brooks’ latest absence at practice raises concern for his Week 1 status, but it’s still too early to hit the panic button
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks continued to work on the sidelines during Monday’s practice while dealing with general soreness that continues to linger going into Week 1.
The Carolina Panthers returned to practice Monday to begin Week 1 preparations, and running back Jonathan Brooks was a notable absence. Books technically was out there working out on the side, but did not participate.
Brooks, the former second-round pick who has missed the majority of his NFL career after back-to-back ACL injuries, has been dealing with what the team has described as general soreness. He was seen running to the side on Monday but could not take part in the full session, raising questions about his availability for the regular season opener.
After practice, head coach Dave Canales said all injury updates will not be addressed until after Wednesday’s practice. He did said he “hopes” Brooks can play but they’re going to evaluate it one day at a time. For now, don’t panic when it comes to Brooks. The Panthers still have a full week of practice ahead and six days until facing the Chicago Bears.
Why the soreness should be expected for Brooks, but is still a slight concern to monitor
The lingering soreness is expected after the increased workload Brooks handled during training camp and the preseason rather than a setback related to his surgically repaired knee. Carolina was without lead back Chuba Hubbard for a significant chunk of camp and the preseason while Hubbard dealt with a hamstring injury. That forced Brooks into the primary role during practices, joint practices, and in his limited preseason action.
That heavy workload has likely contributed to the soreness that surfaced last week and still continuing to limit him into this week. The real concern here is that Brooks received limited preseason game action, which raises legitimate questions about whether he can hold up for a full four-quarter regular season game.
The good news is that Hubbard returned to practice last week and is expected to carry the early-season workload in this offense. Veteran back AJ Dillon also provides a productive option in the backfield. Between the two, the Panthers have enough depth to manage Brooks’ early ramp-up without putting him in a difficult position right away.
As exciting as Brooks’ potential is, his role in Week 1 and the early part of the season might not be as featured as many are expecting. This is a player who still needs to get his feet under him in a live game setting. Running around on the practice field or taking one or two drives in the preseason is a different ballgame compared to regular season action.
That doesn’t mean Brooks won’t contribute early. It just means the Panthers are likely going to be cautious with his overall usage, leaning on Hubbard and Dillon while he builds up to a larger role over the course of the season.
Another absence to watch on the injury front
Brooks wasn’t the only player missing from Monday’s practice. Pass rusher Pat Jones II was not spotted at all out there on Monday. Jones is one of the edge rushers in contention for a starting role in Week 1 opposite Jaelan Phillips on the defensive front. That’s another situation worth monitoring as the Panthers move through the rest of the week.
Seeing two key players sidelined on the first day of game-week prep is never ideal, but Canales is keeping expectations positive heading into the rest of the week. And again, Wednesday’s practice will really be the first important one when the first official injury report will shed more light on all the team’s injury situations.
