Overview
- The Panthers gave Brooks nine snaps in the preseason opener Saturday and he had four touches for 14 yards from scrimmage while leaving the game with no new injuries.
- Brooks started because Chuba Hubbard was sidelined with a hamstring, and his outing was shortened by a conservative plan for starters and the offense’s early three three-and-outs.
- Two usual starting guards, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, were held out with Brady Christensen and Chandler Zavala filling in, which limited run blocking and the ability to fully evaluate Brooks as a runner.
- Coach Dave Canales and quarterback Bryce Young praised Brooks’s comeback, with Canales calling the sight of Brooks on the field emotional and Brooks saying relief and health are his main goals.
- The Panthers view the appearance as a step in a staged return from Brooks’s second torn ACL and plan more preseason work to judge his durability and how he fits into the team’s short-term running back depth chart.