The Carolina Panthers strapped on pads at training camp for the first time on Tuesday.
Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks talks recovery, getting back on the gridiron
The day also marked the first camp for Jonathon Brooks, who missed the last two because of injury.
Channel 9's DaShawn Brown spoke with the running back about his recovery and his vision for the Panthers backfield.

#jonathon #camp #carolina

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks was finally able to put on his pads at an NFL training camp.
Tuesday's session proved to be another showcase for Brooks, who is progressing through his first healthy offseason as a pro. The 23-year-old shined this morning, putting his speed and suddenness on display—as he did during spring workouts.
He was asked about the session afterwards.
"It felt good. It felt good to be back out there," Brooks stated. "I'm just trusting the process that the trainers and coaches have for me. And just ultimately, believing in myself throughout the whole rehab process. And it was a blessing to be back out there."
Between two ACL tears to his right knee, one from college and one from his rookie campaign, Brooks has been limited to just three games since being drafted back in 2024. After being sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign, the former second-round pick seems likely to factor into the Carolina offense from the jump—even drawing whispers of earning a featured role down the line.

#carolina #session #panthers

Good evening Panthers fans! We're into training camp and a lot of information is floating around the internet. I'm here to try and highlight some pieces I think fans want to know about and just help you keep up with all the happenings in general! This is not an all encompassing piece, so if there's something that happened that you find interesting/exciting, feel free to share below!
One day into training camp, and the Panthers have lost their first casualty for the season, and it was their promising young 2025 2nd round pick, EDGE Nic Scourton. Scourton appeared primed to have a big role on this front seven opposite Jaelen Phillips, but we're going to have to wait til 2027 as Scourton went down with what appeared to be a severe knee injury early in the day. Speculation was it was very serious due to how he and the players around him reacted, and sure enough, its a torn ACL. Horrible news for the Panthers, sending best wishes to Nic on a speedy and healthy recovery.
Running back Jonathon Brooks practiced in training camp for the first time in his career (shout-out to Mike Kaye for that factoid). While I know many fans have been skeptical of his health, he appears primed to have a significant role in the offense if this direction continues.
The Panthers have officially announced rookie first round pick Monroe Freeling will be starting at right tackle to start the year given the medical issue keeping Taylor Moton out. Initially, Freeling was set to enter a competition with Rasheed Walker at left tackle, but the team quickly created a new plan for Moton's absence.
Dave Canales said OL Brady Christensen "looked good" in his first training camp action back with the team. Christensen is coming off a torn Achilles last season, but he may be needed sooner than later if the Panthers injury luck continues.

#panthers #fans #we 're

The Iowa Cubs got egged by the Toledo Mud Hens (Tigers), 6-2.
Will Sanders took the loss after giving up four runs on five hits over four innings. One of the runs was unearned. Sanders struck out five and walked one.
Antoine Kelly had two perfect innings of relief, striking out two.
Left fielder Jonathon Long went 1 for 4 with an RBI double that scored right fielder Hayden Cantrelle. Cantrelle went 1 for 2 with a walk.
Long’s double.

The Iowa Cubs beat Indianapolis (Pirates), 11-7.
Starter Vince Velazquez gave the I-Cubs three innings and gave Indianapolis three runs on six hits. Velazquez walked three more and struck out four.
Andrew Wantz threw the next four innings, surrendered three runs on four hits, and got the win. Wantz struck out three, hit one batter and walked one.
Vince Reilly was summoned from the bullpen with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth. The first batter he faced hit an RBI single, but the second one struck out and Reilly got the save.
In the fourth inning, first baseman Jonathon Long hit a grand slam, his sixth home run on the year. Long went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.

It was reported earlier today that the Denver Broncos have excused outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from this week’s mandatory minicamp practices after being arrested for the second time last week. After today’s practice, head coach Sean Payton met with the media and confirmed as much, and had a much different tone on the matter than he did last week.
Payton told reporters that Cooper “needs to work on himself,” and that they have had several meetings on the matter. He continued by saying that the ownership, head coach, and organizationally, that “there’s a bar we have and an expectation that’s very high”. He added they will consider all that moving forward as they continue to gather the information and that they are taking it very seriously.
As we know, Jonathon Cooper has been arrested twice over the span of one week and now faces multiple charges due to an incident with his girlfriend. He was previously present at the Broncos OTA practices after the first arrest and had a long visit with the team to discuss the situation. A few hours after Payton talked to the media for the first time about Cooper’s arrest, it was reported he was arrested once again. Today, Payton met with the media for the first time since Cooper’s second arrest, and he seemed very disappointed over the situation.
Based on his comments, it sure sounds like Cooper’s roster spot could be in jeopardy. Saying he needs to work on himself, the fact they had multiple meetings on the matter, and mentioning they have a bar and expectation that is very high seems pretty ******* ing to me. With that said, they are still collecting all the information and did say that this could take some time, so time will tell how this all works out.
I have mentioned this before, but this current Broncos regime has stressed character and makeup. They have signed good locker room players and leaders and have drafted players with clean backgrounds and prior history of being team leaders. So, I believe they will have a short leash when it comes to these sorts of off-the-field matters. Cooper fit that profile and has been a team leader up until recently, so again, we need to see how this all plays out.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper pleaded not guilty Monday in a domestic violence case stemming from an altercation with his girlfriend.
Cooper will have a motions hearing in a Douglas County courtroom on July 6 with the potential for a jury trial on July 22, just before the Broncos report for training camp.
Cooper's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, said the defense doesn't plan to file a motion to dismiss the charges and requested a trial date as soon as possible so that Cooper wouldn't have to miss any training camp workouts.
Cooper, 28, and his girlfriend were arrested Thursday night by Parker police and both were booked into jail early Friday morning, according to Douglas County jail records. Cooper was held on suspicion of criminal mischief with a domestic violence enhancer. His girlfriend was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and petty criminal mischief.
The arrests followed an argument and physical confrontation between Cooper and his girlfriend over cell phones that were damaged in the scuffle after she accused him of infidelity, according to a police affidavit.

Perhaps the buzz about Jonah Elliss transitioning to inside linebacker this spring was overblown.
Earlier this year, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said Elliss would get snaps at inside linebacker in 2026. However, when the Broncos wrapped up the first week of organized team activities (OTAs) on Thursday with media members in attendance, Elliss was working at outside linebacker.
Payton was asked about Elliss' position after practice and the coach said OLB will be "home" for Elliss. “He’s doing too well outside," Payton said, via the Denver Post's Luca Evans. There will be packages where Elliss lines up inside (just like last year), but it won't be his primary position.
Elliss staying at outside linebacker was not influenced by Jonathon Cooper being arrested and charged with domestic violence. The Broncos practiced on Thursday morning and Payton spoke after practice. Hours later, Cooper was arrested after an alleged incident late Thursday evening.
If Cooper faces discipline — legal, from the league, or both — Elliss would be the obvious next man up to start across from Nik Bonitto at outside linebacker. Entering his third season in the NFL, Elliss will look to build on his 7.5 career sacks this fall.

Jonathon Brooks enters the 2026 season facing one of the most important opportunities of his young NFL career. The Carolina Panthers running back has been identified as a player poised for a breakout campaign, with one ******* yst predicting that Brooks will finish the year as the team’s top running back and surpass 900 rushing yards.
The projection reflects the confidence many observers continue to have in Brooks despite the challenges he has faced early in his professional journey. Injuries and circumstances beyond his control have limited his ability to consistently showcase the talent that made him one of the most highly regarded running back prospects in recent memory. Now entering his third season, Brooks appears positioned to take on a significantly larger role within Carolina’s offense.
The Panthers have spent recent seasons attempting to establish a stronger offensive identity while supporting the development of their young core. A productive rushing attack remains a critical component of that process. If Brooks can secure the lead role in the backfield, his combination of vision, acceleration and playmaking ability could provide the offense with the consistency it has been seeking. A reliable ground game would also help create more favorable situations throughout the offense.
Competition for touches is never simple in the NFL, especially at the running back position. Carolina has multiple options capable of contributing, and earning the designation of RB1 requires both performance and durability. Brooks will need to demonstrate that he can handle a larger workload over the course of a full season while maintaining the explosiveness that made him such an intriguing prospect coming out of college.
Brooks is predicted to finish the season as Carolina’s RB1 and make 900 yards. This is detailed more in an ******* ysis by Liz Loza for ESPN.

Both Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper and his long-term girlfriend were arrested late Thursday night on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and misdemeanor criminal mischief, The Denver Post reported Friday, citing jail records and the arrest affidavit.
Cooper, a 28-year-old defender who has played for the Broncos the past five seasons, and his girlfriend of around four years were entangled in an argument, in which she alleged that Cooper was cheating on her, the affidavit read, per the Post. Cooper’s girlfriend reportedly claims to have taken his phone, thrown it across the room and gone to retrieve it so she could look through it.
As reported by the Post, via the affidavit, Cooper told the police that, in a successful attempt to get his phone back, he grabbed his girlfriend by her upper arms.
When Cooper’s girlfriend went for his phone once more, “he braced his neck against her neck to prevent her from getting it,” according to the Post.
“We are aware of the matter and are gathering more information,” the Broncos said in a statement to multiple outlets.

Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested June 4 and faces a misdemeanor charge connected to a reported domestic violence incident in Douglas County, court and jail records show.
Cooper, 28, was arrested at 11:16 p.m. on June 4 and was booked in Douglas County Jail around 2:38 a.m. June 5, according to jail records.
Cooper had a hearing the morning of June 5 in Douglas County Court and was given a $1,000 personal recognizance bond, jail records show. He has been charged with criminal mischief between $300 and $1,000, a Class 2 misdemeanor. Because the incident involves allegations of domestic violence, Cooper is required to surrender any firearms for the duration of the legal proceedings.
Court records show Cooper has another appearance scheduled in Douglas County Court on June 8.
Online court records did not provide more details on the incident that led to Cooper’s arrest, which was first reported by TMZ Sports.

One of the big offseason talking points surrounding the Broncos was edge rusher Jonah Elliss potentially moving to inside linebacker. Head coach Sean Payton mentioned he would be “getting some snaps” at linebacker, but never really clarified what that meant.
However, Sean Payton did meet with the media after the Broncos’ first OTA practice, which was open to them for the first time this offseason, and stated that Elliss would be staying at edge rusher after all.
Payton added that Jonah’s “home” will be on the outside, and that “he’s doing too good on the outside” to be moved. He did leave the door open for some inside work for Elliss, saying they could have some packages for him, but he’ll primarily be an edge rusher moving forward.
So, with Elliss staying at edge rusher, this move impacts both the edge rusher and linebacker positions. At edge rusher, the group remains very deep with Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper as your starters and Elliss, second-year player Que Robinson, and Dondrea Tillman as your rotational/situational depth pieces. Elliss will likely remain the top reserve player, but I would keep an eye on Que Robinson, who flashed some real potential last season. Regardless, the Broncos have a deep and talented edge rushing group.
As for the linebackers, we have a little more questions than answers. We do know that veterans Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are your starters, but everything behind those two is up in the air. They did draft big hitting/force fumbling machine Red Murdock, but he was Mr. Irrelevant (the final pick in the draft), so he has to earn his spot on the roster. They also signed promising UDFA linebacker Taurean York, but he’s undersized and will need to prove he can survive in the NFL. Returning are second-year and former UDFA linebackers Jordan Turner and Karene Reid, as well as Levelle Bailey, who is entering his third training camp for the Broncos. So, they have some young developmental players at the position but lack true veteran depth, for now at least. I would anticipate the Broncos adding a veteran to this group before camp to provide some insurance at the position.