Panthers injuries: Dave Canales gives updates on Jonathon Brooks and DJ Wonnum

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales offers injury updates on DJ Wonnum and Jonathon Brooks.

Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (24) walks off the field after the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Carolina Panthers were already snake-bitten by injuries going into Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. With Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson out, their defense went from bad to worse in a humiliating 36-10 loss. To make matters even worse, the team suffered several more injuries this past week - including a season-ender for starting center Austin Corbett and right tackle Taylor Moton being banged up enough to end his long-running streak of consecutive starts.

As bad as it sounds, there are at least some reinforcements coming soon. Defensive end DJ Wonnum remains on the PUP list but is eligible to return, and the same is true for rookie running back Jonathon Brooks. Here's what head coach Dave Canales had to say about Brooks and Wonnum possilbly returning soon, per Mike Kaye at the Charlotte Observer.

Dave Canales on DJ Wonnum, Jonathon Brooks

“I would say DJ and Jonathon are really close... Obviously, we get excited about guys who can come back and help us. But at the same time, we gotta do what’s right for the player, first and foremost, and then for the team after that. And so it’s getting really close.”

The Panthers have been running the ball well when they commit to it, and Brooks is a far more dynamic option than Chuba Hubbard, who currently has the best success rate in the league at his position. Brooks joining the lineup could act as a force multiplier, boosting Carolina's run game into something truly deadly.

Wonnum returning would offer a desperately-needed injection into the team's edge rotation, which was the weakest in the league before Jadeveon Clowney was injured on Sunday. Hopefully these two will be able to join the lineup sooner rather than later.

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