The last time running back Jonathon Brooks saw an NFL field was Week 14 of the 2024 season, when he suffered a second torn ACL in only his third game back from the same injury.
That will change when the Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game this weekend at Highmark Stadium.
Dave Canales confirmed that Brooks will play, and he will be with the first-string offense for however long they are on the field. It's been a long road to reach this point, but the head coach believes he is fit and ready to remind the world why he was such a highly touted recruit coming out of college.
Dave Canales offers bullish Jonathon Brooks outlook before Carolina Panthers return
And hopefully, this will be the start of a much brighter future for the 2024 second-round pick after a torrid couple of years.
"He's in great shape; He's ready to rock, he's ready to play football. And so now that's just the next part of it. And you know, he'll play with the first group, he'll mix in and out with Chuba (Hubbard), and we'll be able to get a good look at those guys with a couple of drives."
Putting Brooks in with the starting unit makes sense. It gives him time to work behind the starting offensive line, or at least most of them. He will also be going up against Buffalo's starting defense, giving him a broader perception of what real NFL speed is like after missing so much time.
This is the final hurdle for Brooks. He's had to endure significant mental and physical strain to fight back in the face of considerable adversity. The Panthers have brought him along gradually, and now it's time for the last test.
Taking live-fire contact from something other than your own teammates in an uncontrolled environment.
There will be some obvious apprehension, which is understandable. Brooks will be nervous deep down. The coaches and fans will be too. But if he can come through however many touches he receives unscathed, it'll be all systems go.
The Panthers would not be putting Brooks in this sort of environment if they didn't believe he was ready. Time is still on their side before Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, but they've seen enough. The former Texas playermaker doesn't seem to have lost any explosiveness, and he's been a real handful in the passing game throughout training camp.
Excitement is palpable. It'll be an emotional moment for Brooks, and his Panthers teammates are sure to rally around him. But at this stage of Carolina's preparations for the new campaign, coming out on the other end without any problems is all that matters.
Brooks is back. And if there are no setbacks from here, the dual-threat weapon will be a game-changer in no uncertain terms.
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