Pat Jones II Out Week One vs Bears

The Carolina Panthers will be without starting outside linebacker Pat Jones II, who is nursing a back injury, for Sunday’s season opener against the Chicago Bears. Head coach Dave Canales says it is not related to his offseason surgery.

“Just an aggravation of a different side of it,” Canales said. “So, we were able to get ahead of it [and] treat it. We do not expect him to play this week, but he’ll be week to week, and we’re hoping that we can get him turned around pretty quickly. But again, with those issues we [have to] be smart about this and make sure that we’re bringing him back with the right cadence, and and making sure he’s ready to go.”

Also on the injury report were defensive lineman Bobby Brown, with back tightness, and running back Jonathon Brooks with groin soreness. Both were limited. Canales seemed optimistic about both of their availability Sunday.

“He’s got a little bit of soreness in his groin, so we were aware of that and started treating it,” Canales said about Brooks. “He went out there, went through the full individuals, took selective reps throughout the practice. So it wouldn’t have been his full normal load of a practice, but pretty much he practiced the whole day. [We’re] very confident that he’ll be out there on Sunday.”

“Bobby [Brown III’s injury] was from Monday’s practice,” he added. [His] back tightened up, so something we’re aware of, but he was out there practicing today. And again, limited for him meant the same thing. It was probably not his four to six reps per rack. It was probably something like two or three, but he was able to get through it and I checked with him afterwards and he said he felt fine.”