Panthers Unleash Jonathon Brooks: 'Ready to Rock' in Bills Showdown

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The wait is over. Jonathon Brooks is officially off the leash.

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales confirmed after Wednesday's padded practice that the third-year running back will see his first NFL preseason action Saturday at Highmark Stadium against the Buffalo Bills. And not just any action — Brooks will roll with the first-team offense.

”He's in great shape; he's ready to rock -- he's ready to play football,” Canales said. “That's just the next part of it, and 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.”

Let's be real: this is a massive moment for the 2024 second-round pick. Brooks has been through hell getting here — back-to-back ACL surgeries on the same right knee. He didn't even step foot in an NFL training camp practice until July 22. Now he's about to get hit by actual Buffalo Bills defenders.

From Rock Bottom to 'Ready to Rock'

Brooks' rookie year was a tease. He appeared in just three NFL games before tearing his ACL again against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in 2024. That brief flash of promise was sandwiched between two knee surgeries that wiped out both his first two NFL offseasons.

Those dark days are behind him. Now the explosive back is ready to show why the Panthers invested a second-round pick in him.

Brooks will share backfield duties with Chuba Hubbard, and the duo gives Carolina a serious one-two punch. Behind them? The Panthers have a deep stable: 2025 fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne, veteran AJ Dillon, practice-squad holdover Anthony Tyus III, and undrafted rookie Miles Davis.

But Saturday is about Brooks. It's about live contact. It's about proving he can still be the dynamic playmaker he was coming out of Texas.

One notable absence: left guard Damien Lewis (calf) is not expected to suit up against Buffalo, per Canales, even though he returned to practice Wednesday. The Panthers aren't taking any chances with him.

For the Panthers and their fans, this is a glimpse of the future. Brooks is finally ready to rock — and the NFL's been warned.