Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced Monday that the team expects running back Chuba Hubbard to be ready for Week 1 of the upcoming season despite a strained hamstring.
The injury has prevented Hubbard from participating in any preseason games. Canales indicated that Hubbard has not yet focused on cutting movements due to the team's cautious approach. As a result, Hubbard and second-year player Jonathon Brooks will share the workload in a running back by committee arrangement to start the year.
Hubbard experienced a calf injury in 2025 that limited his starts. Although he played in 15 games, he only started the first six. His average carries per game dropped from 13.2 to 6.1 over the latter part of the season.
With Rico Dowdle signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason, the running back room has opened up for Hubbard and Brooks. Brooks, a second-round pick in 2024, had his rookie season cut short after appearing in only three games due to a second torn ACL. He has spent the past two seasons recovering and is now listed as the second option on the depth chart behind Hubbard, ahead of Trevor Etienne, AJ Dillon, and Anthony Tyrus III. Brooks has recorded eight carries in the preseason.
In his last healthy season in 2024, Hubbard started all 15 games he played, accumulating 1,195 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 250 attempts. Hubbard was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has played his entire career with the Panthers.