ESPN just confirmed why Jonathon Brooks is no longer the Panthers’ best-kept secret
Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks is set to make his long-awaited return this upcoming season and more people outside the organization are excited for what’s to come when he gets back on the field.
The Carolina Panthers had its first three sessions of organized team activities last week and one of the top takeaways involved the return of former second-round running back Jonathon Brooks.
Brooks suffered two severe knee injuries (one during the final year of his career at Texas and another three games into his career with the Panthers) that set back the start of his NFL career but now he’s slated to make his long-awaited return this upcoming season.
The Panthers have continued to expressed the up-most support for Brooks and view him as a potential difference-maker on offense this season after allowing Rico Dowdle to walk in free agency while making no significant effort to replace his 1,000-yard performance.
The opportunity is there for Brooks to finally prove himself to this organization with a clear runway toward a sizable role. And ESPN is predicting Brooks will make the most of that opportunity.
ESPN predicts Jonathon Brooks will finish as the RB1 for the Carolina Panthers in 2026
With 100 days until the NFL season kicks off, ESPN’s staff discussed some predictions and expectations for the 2026 season. One of those predictions, from fantasy & betting writer Liz Loza, was that Brooks would finish the season as the RB1 in Carolina while topping 900 yards on the ground.
“His red flags are bright, yet Carolina’s faith in his abilities has yet to wane. The team let Rico Dowdle’s contract expire and didn’t add to the position during the 2026 draft. With Chuba Hubbard as his main competition, and reportedly back to health, Brooks enters the season ready to capitalize,” Loza wrote.
Predicting 900 yards for a player with just 22 NFL yards and only one 900+-yard college season is a bold projection. However, Dowdle exceeded that mark working alongside Hubbard in 2025, so it’s certainly within the realm of possibility for Brooks, who’s speed can be a more exciting complement to Hubbard’s game.
The Panthers certainly believe Brooks is capable of achieving such a feat and this prediction shows that the team’s best-kept secret is officially out of the bag when it comes to the national scene.
Jonathon Brooks was receiving high praise after returning to the practice field during OTAs
Brooks’ first opportunity back on the practice field as a healthy participant was last week during the first three days of OTAs. Head coach Dave Canales said it brought him “a lot of joy” to see Brooks back on the field and running around again.
With another three OTA sessions coming up this week, the Panthers will continue adding more to Brooks’ plate.
“As he progresses with his comfort and attacking with a defender in front of him, we’ll continue to feed him and grow with the skill set he has,” OC Brad Idzik explained. “I mean, a couple of years ago, he’s probably the most talented back coming out. He’s still one of the most talented guys on our roster. We’re really excited to watch him grow and his confidence coming off that rehab. . .
“He looked great out there. He’s attacking and everything he does, and then there’ll just be continued dialogue with him of saying, ‘ Hey, here’s what we need out of you.’ Let us know too if there are other ways to feature your skillset.”
The Panthers are going to be smart with how they manage Brooks’ workload, something that should continue well into camp. But, when it comes to the season, all signs point toward the Panthers finally being able to unleash a healthy version of Jonathon Brooks.