Rookie RB Jonathon Brooks practices with Panthers for first time. ‘He looks great’
It took quite a bit longer than initially planned, but the Panthers finally welcomed rookie running back Jonathon Brooks to practice on Wednesday.
Brooks, who has been sidelined by a major knee injury since last November, took to the field for the first time with his teammates wearing his No. 24 practice jersey. Brooks and the Panthers’ brass had initially envisioned a training camp return for the second-round draft pick out of Texas, but that timeline was delayed until Week 7 of the regular season following his arrival to the program in the offseason.
“I view (the delay) as part of the process, but it’s kind of what comes with it at times,” Brooks said. “Not everybody comes back as fast as the fans or anybody wants them to. It’s a process and people need to realize that. It’s not just a thing you come back from and re-injure it because you rushed it.
“You really have to do what you can do to let the knee heal, not on its own, but in its respectable way. And just continue to do what you can do, put your trust in God, keep praying to get to where you can be.”
The running back has been on the non-football injury (NFI) list since training camp started in July.
Brooks tore the ACL in his right knee last winter during his final season with the Texas Longhorns. The Panthers liked what they saw from his film and his medical records, and so the front office decided to trade up to the 46th overall pick in the second round to select him as the first running back off the board during draft weekend.
Head coach Dave Canales finally got an up-close look at Brooks on Wednesday and liked what he saw.
“He looked great,” Canales said. “He took a couple of snaps, went through the individual period. So, it was good to have him out there, see him running around.
“Something we’ve certainly been excited about, just seeing him out there, and we’ll make sure we do the right thing for Jonathon, first and foremost, and then from there, we’ll take it a week at a time, and see where he’s able to help up us.”
After knee injury, Brooks trusts the rehab process
Brooks, 21, was reunited with Texas teammate and fellow rookie, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, on the practice field to start Week 7.
The Hallettsville, Texas, native will get 21 days to practice before he must be moved to the 53-man roster. If he takes up the entire allotted time to go on the main roster, he will be in line to make his NFL debut on Nov. 10 in Munich, Germany, against the New York Giants.
“Definitely felt good, not having the pressure to come back,” Brooks said about his rehab process. “Obviously, for me, I’m a football player, I’m competitive — I want to get out there and compete with my teammates and just show the world what I can do. But it’s also a process.
“I can’t get back out there and rush it and reinjure it and then sit out a whole (extra) year. So, really, you’ve just got to wait on the right time, just believe in yourself, believe in the trainers, and believe in what we’re doing is getting it better.”
If Brooks has a setback or doesn’t get moved to the 53-man roster at the end of his 21-day window, he will revert back to the NFI list and miss the remainder of his rookie season.
Sam Franklin, Jaden Crumedy happy to get back on the field
Brooks made his practice debut alongside veteran safety Sam Franklin and rookie defensive end Jaden Crumedy. Franklin (foot) and Crumedy (ankle) both had their 21-day practice windows opened on injured reserve on Wednesday as well.
Franklin missed the majority of training camp with a broken foot. He was cleared to practice entering Week 7, and he is expected to be the team’s top special teams ace upon his return to the lineup.
“I’m a good 90, 95%,” Franklin said. “It’s more so the fatigue on my foot right now. Just getting the muscles right, moving and hitting all of those high-speed cuts and impacts, back-to-back.”
Franklin was voted a team captain in August, despite his status on injured reserve to begin the campaign.
“It was means a lot,” Franklin said. “My teammates think highly of me, and . . . I just want to make sure I can play to the best of my ability, so I can do right by them.”
Crumedy, the team’s sixth-round pick in April, is also returning from a lower-leg injury. He will bring depth to a group that has dealt with its fair share of injuries to begin the season.
Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Brown (knee) was lost for the season in Week 1, while fellow starters, Shy Tuttle and A’Shawn Robinson, have dealt with their own lower-leg injuries.
“It felt amazing, actually,” Crumedy said about his first practice back. “Even though we weren’t in pads and stuff today, it just felt good to be out there.”
Crumedy and Franklin have the same timeline outlooks as Brooks. Either could return as early as this weekend against Washington or wait things out until the week of the Germany matchup.
Franklin and Crumedy were listed as full participants in practice, while Brooks was limited.
Tommy Tremble returns to practice, too
Tight end Tommy Tremble (concussion) also returned to practice on Wednesday. He missed Sunday’s 38-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium.
Tremble wore a red “non-contact” jersey to participate in a limited capacity. His return was another positive for the Panthers to start Week 7.
Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder), linebacker Josey Jewell (hamstring/groin) and right tackle Taylor Moton (biceps) remained sideline with their injuries. The Panthers will continue to monitor those ailments as they prepare for the Washington Commanders.
Running back Chuba Hubbard (rest), special teams ace Jon Rhattigan (knee/illness), nickel cornerback Troy Hill (rest) and linebacker Claudin Cherelus (hamstring) were new additions to the injury report following the loss.
Below is the complete participation report from Wednesday:
Did not participate: OLB Jadeveon Clowney (shoulder), LB Josey Jewell (hamstring/groin), RT Taylor Moton (biceps), LB Claudin Cherelus (hamstring), RB Chuba Hubbard (rest), WR Diontae Johnson (ankle), defensive end A’Shawn Robinson (knee), LB Jon Rhattigan (knee/illness), CB Troy Hill (rest)
Limited participation: TE Tommy Tremble (concussion), RB Jonathon Brooks (knee), WR David Moore (knee), DE LaBryan Ray (ankle/knee), C Andrew Raym (concussion), DB Nick Scott (hamstring)
Full participation: DE Jaden Crumedy (IR - ankle), DB Sam Franklin (IR - foot), CB Dane Jackson (IR - hamstring)
Quick hits
▪ The Panthers signed linebacker Jacoby Windmon off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad on Tuesday. Windmon has to remain on the 53-man roster for three weeks, similar to tight end Messiah Swinson before him, since he was signed off another practice roster.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound linebacker went undrafted in April and spent the offseason and training camp in Pittsburgh. He played college football at UNLV and Michigan State.
Windmon, 23, will wear No. 41 for the Panthers. Outside linebacker Tarron Jackson, who was waived to make room for Windmon, previously wore that number. Jackson appeared in three games for the Panthers this season.
▪ The team also signed linebacker Shaquille Quarterman to the practice squad on Tuesday. The former Jacksonville Jaguars draft pick played in three games for the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this season. He has 66 games of experience, mostly on special teams. Wide receiver Deon Cain, a Clemson alum, was cut from the practice squad to make room for Quarterman, who will wear No. 33.
▪ Prior to practice, the team signed wide receiver Dan Chisena to the practice squad. The Penn State alum went undrafted in 2020, but he has since played for the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens. He’s appeared 31 NFL games and mostly been used on special teams. He has played just 11 snaps on offense during his career.
This story was originally published October 16, 2024 at 1:41 PM.
