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The Carolina Panthers may be setting the stage for running back Jonathon Brooks.
NFL national reporter Cameron Wolfe ran down his latest notes about the NFC South on Friday's episode of The Insiders podcast. When speaking on the Panthers, Wolfe stated that the reigning division champs seem to have great confidence in Brooks ahead of the 2026 campaign.
"From what I understand, they may ease him in early on in camp and during the season. But the hope is, if he can go full-go, he could be a guy that defines this offense," Wolfe said of Brooks.
"When they were at their best, Rico Dowdle was playing really well. They let Rico Dowdle go, in part, because they felt Jonathon Brooks was ready to be the guy in this backfield."
As Wolfe alluded to, Carolina opted not to re-sign Dowdle—who led the team with 1,076 rushing yards in 2025. His most productive performances from last year helped push the Panthers to their first NFC South crown in a decade, as they went 4-0 when Dowdle ran for at least 79 yards.
But with Dowdle off to Pittsburgh, the runway is a bit clearer for Brooks as he looks to complete his return from a second ACL tear. The 22-year-old appeared in just three games as a rookie after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, then was sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 season.
Brooks, for the first time in his pro career, was just a full participant at organized team activities. The burst, speed and toughness he displayed during the practices earned encouraging reviews from head coach Dave Canales, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and multiple teammates.
If Wolfe's assessment is accurate, Chuba Hubbard will likely get the bulk of the work out of the backfield early on. And at some point, the reins may finally be turned over to Brooks.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL insider: Panthers feel RB Jonathon Brooks is 'ready to be the guy'
Continue reading...
NFL national reporter Cameron Wolfe ran down his latest notes about the NFC South on Friday's episode of The Insiders podcast. When speaking on the Panthers, Wolfe stated that the reigning division champs seem to have great confidence in Brooks ahead of the 2026 campaign.
"From what I understand, they may ease him in early on in camp and during the season. But the hope is, if he can go full-go, he could be a guy that defines this offense," Wolfe said of Brooks.
"When they were at their best, Rico Dowdle was playing really well. They let Rico Dowdle go, in part, because they felt Jonathon Brooks was ready to be the guy in this backfield."
As Wolfe alluded to, Carolina opted not to re-sign Dowdle—who led the team with 1,076 rushing yards in 2025. His most productive performances from last year helped push the Panthers to their first NFC South crown in a decade, as they went 4-0 when Dowdle ran for at least 79 yards.
But with Dowdle off to Pittsburgh, the runway is a bit clearer for Brooks as he looks to complete his return from a second ACL tear. The 22-year-old appeared in just three games as a rookie after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, then was sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 season.
Brooks, for the first time in his pro career, was just a full participant at organized team activities. The burst, speed and toughness he displayed during the practices earned encouraging reviews from head coach Dave Canales, offensive coordinator Brad Idzik and multiple teammates.
If Wolfe's assessment is accurate, Chuba Hubbard will likely get the bulk of the work out of the backfield early on. And at some point, the reins may finally be turned over to Brooks.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL insider: Panthers feel RB Jonathon Brooks is 'ready to be the guy'
Continue reading...
