NFC South Notes: Brooks, Canales, Saints

Panthers rookie running back Jonathon Brooks is expected to make his NFL debut after Carolina’s Week 11 bye, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Brooks was activated from the reserve/non-football injury list November 6 ahead of the Panthers’ Week 10 matchup with the Giants in Germany, but he remained inactive for that game. Instead, he will have to wait even longer for his first professional snaps after being drafted by Carolina with the 46th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Brooks’ debut will come against the reigning Super Bowl winners, who have held opponents to 83.2 rushing yards per game this year, the third-lowest in the league. The 21-year-old running back will likely ease into the Panthers’ game plan with teammate Chuba Hubbard ranking in the top five in rushing yards and attempts this season. With Brooks, Hubbard and Miles Sanders all signed through 2026, Carolina may consider some two-back formations to get the most out of its offense.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

• Panthers owner David Tepper has made four head coaching changes since 2022, but Dave Canales is expected to keep his job despite his team’s record this year, per The Athletic’s Joseph Person. But changes on his staff could be impending with the defense allowing a league-worst 31.0 points per game and 2022 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young still struggling to develop.
• Though Brian Burns was clearly frustrated with the lack of progress on extension talks with the Panthers, he did not force his way out of Carolina. “I never requested a trade,” said Burns, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. However, it was clear that the Panthers would not give him the $28.2MM per-year contract that he eventually signed with the Giants, per ESPN’s David Newton.
• The Panthers needed additional salary cap space in October, so they restructured the contract of outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum. Carolina converted this year’s per game roster bonuses into a signing bonus and adding three voidable years to the end of his contract, which expires after the 2025 season, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. His 2024 salary cap hit dropped to $2.525MM with a $8.4MM cap hit in 2025.
• The Saints are facing a key contract decision with quarterback Derek Carr, who has a $51.5MM salary cap hit in 2025 with $10MM in guaranteed salary and a $10MM roster bonus. The remaining $30MM of his salary is currently guaranteed for injury but becomes fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year, per Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap. New Orleans is already projected to be $63.8MM over the salary cap in 2025, so it may need to consider moving on from Carr to kickstart a rebuild and help its financial situation. The Saints may consider benching Carr like the Broncos did with Russell Wilson last year to make sure that he doesn’t get injured and trigger his guarantees for the 2025 season.
• Alvin Kamara‘s recent extension includes some specific requirements for the All-Pro running back to reach his contract’s maximum value. If he does not attend 100 percent of OTAs in 2025 – something he has not done in several years – the Saints can reduce his salary by $353,000, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. If Kamara records at least 1,600 yards from scrimmage in 2026, he is eligible for a $500,000 bonus for each Satins postseason victory that year, per Terrell.