Laut Trainer Dave Canales hat Carolina Panthers Runningback Jonathon Brooks "keine Einschränkungen" für das Heimspiel der Woche 1 des Teams gegen die Chicago Bears. Brooks wurde am Freitag aus dem endgültigen Verletzungsbericht gestrichen, nachdem er sich Anfang der Woche mit einer Leistenverletzung herumgeschlagen hatte.

Canales sagte, er freue sich darauf, den Runningback im dritten Jahr in dieser Saison mit Teamkapitän und Veteran Chuba Hubbard zusammenzubringen. Das Team plant seit "sehr langer Zeit", dass das Duo das Backfield anführt.

The Panthers used a second-round pick on Brooks -- the 46th overall selection -- in the 2024 NFL draft. He has played in just three regular-season games since, coming off back-to-back right ACL surgeries. Brooks participated in training camp and the preseason for the first time in his three-year career, with his workload managed. He played 17 snaps in two preseason games, running eight times for 23 yards and catching one pass for 9 yards.

Hubbard, sidelined throughout the preseason with a hamstring injury, was listed as the team's starter on its unofficial depth chart for Week 1. The team also kept veteran journeyman AJ Dillon. Trevor Etienne, a fourth-round Carolina pick in 2025, was placed on injured reserve last month with an ankle injury. Outside linebacker Patrick Jones II (back) was the lone name on the final injury report for the Panthers.

Wichtige Entitäten: Unternehmen: Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, ESPN | Personen: Jonathon Brooks, Dave Canales, Chuba Hubbard, AJ Dillon, Trevor Etienne, Patrick Jones II | Orte: Carolina, Chicago