Panthers News
Chuba Hubbard is heading into 2026 with a clear path back to the top of Carolina’s backfield after a 2025 season in which a calf injury cost him his starting role and altered the course of his year.
The 26-year-old opened last season as the Panthers’ lead back before suffering a calf injury in Week 4 that sidelined him for two games. During that absence, Rico Dowdle ran for nearly 400 yards and never fully relinquished the starting role. By the time the regular season ended, Dowdle had led Carolina with 1,076 rushing yards while Hubbard finished with 511 rushing yards, 223 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns across 15 games.
Dowdle, now an unrestricted free agent, is widely expected to test the market this offseason. He expressed frustration over his reduced role in the final weeks of the regular season and indicated a desire to join a team where he can receive the bulk of the carries. Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said at the Scouting Combine only that “the door is open” for Dowdle to return, a notably cool statement for a player who led the team in rushing.
With Dowdle gone, the backfield reverts to Hubbard by default. The Panthers have him locked in through 2028 on a four-year, $33.2 million extension signed in November 2024. That kind of contractual commitment signals organizational belief in Hubbard as a long-term piece, even after a down year.
The supporting cast behind him carries real uncertainty. Jonathon Brooks, the team’s 2024 second-round pick, is working to return from a second torn ACL on the same right knee in 13 months. Panthers GM Dan Morgan offered cautious optimism earlier this year that Brooks could contribute in 2026, though his timeline and explosiveness remain open questions after two major surgeries. Trevor Etienne, a 2025 fourth-round pick, served primarily as a kick returner last season.
Hubbard finished 2025 on a high note, scoring two touchdowns and posting 124 scrimmage yards in the Wild Card win over the Rams, the Panthers’ first home playoff game since 2017. He enters the offseason with a healthy shoulder, a secured contract, and likely fewer backfield competitors in front of him than at any point in the past year.