The Carolina Panthers seem prepared to unleash their second-round pick in Week 12.
According to head coach Dave Canales, the team will not adhere to a “pitch count” for rookie running back Jonathon Brooks—who is set to make his NFL debut in this Sunday’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 21-year-old rusher has been sidelined since tearing his ACL last November.
“Not thinking pitch count,” Canales told reporters of Brooks on Friday afternoon. “He’s gotta be ready to play a full game. If something did happen and Chuba [Hubbard] broke a shoelace and he’s gotta get that fixed for a second, JB will be ready to go.”
Brooks will presumably play the No. 2 to Hubbard, who enters the weekend as the league’s fourth-leading rusher. Hubbard is also coming off a career-high 153 rushing yards in the Week 10 win over the New York Giants.
That backup role has been taken up this season by veteran Miles Sanders. Sanders, however, has been ruled out of the contest with an ankle injury.
