The Carolina Panthers listed running back Jonathon Brooks as doubtful for Week 10 as he continues recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out since Week 2. Head coach Dave Canales said the focus this week is getting Brooks back into football activity, and that his progress is in line with the team’s expectations.
“He had a couple of really nice cuts on Thursday, re-accelerated, and looked like himself,” Canales said. “And so that was encouraging.”
Carolina opened Brooks’s 21-day practice window this week, giving the team three weeks to activate him. Canales said he checked in with Brooks during practice and believes the former second-round pick is moving in the right direction.
“Especially just feeling his body, you know, with the nature of a core muscle repair and those things,” Canales said. “It’s the confidence to be able to burst and change direction, and he was able to show that.”
Although Brooks is doubtful for Week 10, a return in Week 11 appears to be a realistic possibility. Teams often use the first week of a practice window to ease a player back into football activity, with the following week serving as a potential return point. The third week provides additional time if a player needs a slower ramp-up or experiences a setback.
### Brooks Has Had a Difficult Start to His NFL Career
Carolina selected Brooks 46th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He entered the league with an injury history after suffering an ACL injury at Texas, then sustained another ACL injury to the same knee with the Panthers nearly a year later.
Brooks had nine rushing attempts for 22 yards before that injury. He missed all of 2025 while recovering and was expected to return healthy in 2026. However, after recording nine carries again, he suffered the groin injury that sidelined him for the next eight weeks.
With Brooks out, the Panthers have relied on Chuba Hubbard. Brooks carried the ball four times in Week 1 and five times in Week 2 before his injury, so his role in the backfield rotation will be worth watching if he returns. Despite his talent, Brooks is in the second half of his third NFL season with only 18 career rushing attempts, leaving him with plenty to prove.
