The Carolina Panthers will be without one of their top draft picks from a year ago in 2025.
Running back Jonathon Brooks made his NFL debut in Week 12 of the 2024 season. Two weeks later, he tore his ACL in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carolina announced that Brooks was placed on the physically unable to perform list and will miss the entire 2025 season as he recovers from his ACL injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter and other reports.
The Panthers drafted Brooks in the second round, No. 46 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was the top running back selected in the class following a standout final season at Texas that ended early due to injury.
Brooks missed his final four games at Texas after tearing his ACL in a Nov. 11 matchup against TCU. Carolina still selected him in the second round and placed him on the reserve/non-football injury list to start the 2024 season. He made his debut against the Chiefs and had two carries for seven yards.
The Panthers relied primarily on Chuba Hubbard to lead the way on the ground in 2024 and he played well. Carolina rewarded him with a contract extension and will rely on him again in 2025.
Jonathon Brooks stats
In three NFL games, Brooks has nine carries for 22 yards and three catches for 23 yards.
Jonathon Brooks contract details
Brooks is entering the second year of his rookie contract. He's set to count $1.91 million against the salary cap in 2024 at time of publishing. Here's a year-by-year breakdown of his contract, per OverTheCap:
2025
- Base salary: $1.17 million
- Guaranteed salary: $1.17 million
- Signing bonus: $735,378
- Cap hit: $1.91 million
2026
- Base salary: $1.56 million
- Guaranteed salary: $0
- Signing bonus: $735,378
- Cap hit: $2.29 million
- Dead money: $1.47 million for pre-June 1 cut or trade; $735,378 for post-June 1 cut or trade
- Cap savings: $824,812 for pre-June 1 cut or trade; $1.56 million for post-June 1 cut or trade
2027
- Base salary: $1.94 million
- Guaranteed salary: $0
- Signing bonus: $735,378
- Cap hit: $2.67 million
- Dead money: $735,378 if cut or traded
- Cap savings: $1.94 million if cut or traded
Panthers RB depth chart
Carolina added to the running back room this offseason in both free agency (with Rico Dowdle) and the draft (Round 4 pick Trevor Etienne). Here's how things stack up entering training camp with Brooks out:
- Chuba Hubbard
- Rico Dowdle
- Trevor Etienne
- Emani Bailey
- Raheem Blackshear
- Kay'ron Lynch-Adams
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Report: Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks out for the season
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