What does Chuba Hubbard’s hot start with the Panthers mean for Jonathan Brooks?

Matt Alquiza | 12 Hours Ago

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Carolina Panthers

Chuba Hubbard finds the end zone!

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— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024

The Carolina Panthers number one running back has put together quite the start to his 2024 campaign. The fifth-year back out of Oklahoma State sits ninth in the league in rushing with 296 yards through four games. The brunt of that yardage has come in the last two weeks, and Hubbard has found pay dirt in both games. It’s impressive stuff.

Dan Morgan and Dave Canales invested in the franchise’s offensive line to help protect quarterback Bryce Young, but success in the run game has been a welcomed side effect. The dominant line play is reminiscent of the Steve Wilks and Ben McAdoo-led outfit that set team records down the stretch in 2022.

Line play leads the way

Chuba Hubbard has been the biggest beneficiary of Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt, and Taylor Moton’s dominance up front. Those five (and Chandler Zavala in Lewis’ stead this week) consistently carved gaps for Hubbard to slither through, but the running back can attribute a large chunk of his success to his own skills.

Through three weeks, more than half of Hubbard’s yards came after first contact (106 of 192). He’s as powerful as he is slippery, and both of those attributes make him one of the NFL’s toughest backs to bring down.

Hubbard's start has been scintillating, but there's an elephant in the room looming.

Jonathan Brooks' debut is close

Rookie second-round pick Jonathan Brooks is eligible to return to the Panthers active roster in week five. Brooks is likely to hit the field a few weeks later than his earliest return date as he still needs time to get acclimated to football speed, but soon enough, he'll be chomping at the bit to eat into the touches that Hubbard and his running mate Miles Sanders have received through four weeks.

Brooks, a University of Texas product, was the most well-rounded running back prospect in this year's NFL Draft. He boasts impressive college tape that shows a back adept at earning yards both on the ground and through the air. The Panthers have lacked an impressive pass catching back in the post-Christian McCaffrey era (although Hubbard's nine catches in the last two games have turned heads), and Brooks promises to be a dual threat that can help Carolina in the passing game.

Inevitably, Brooks will return to the lineup and siphon touches from Hubbard. The Panthers investment in the rookie makes that fact a fait accompli. However, Hubbard's impressive play in 2024 may extend the timeline for Brooks' rehab.

The success Chuba Hubbard has seen gives Carolina no reason to rush Brooks back into action. And while the games still matter, Carolina has every reason to feed Hubbard with as many touches as he can handle. The veteran running back is a free agent in 2025 and Carolina has no obligation to keep Hubbard fresh for next season. No matter what happens in 2024 (bar injury), Brooks will be the starting back for Carolina in 2025 and beyond. The Panthers are contractually tied to both Brooks and Sanders in 2025, making Chuba a long shot to be on the team going forward.

So, in the short term, Jonathan Brooks' runway to the field can continue to be extended. Chuba Hubbard is playing like a top ten running back in all of football, and Carolina should continue to dance with the one that brought them here. However, long-term, Hubbard's play does nothing to change his, or Brooks', standing with the franchise.

The current Panthers starter is playing for his NFL future. With every plowing run, Hubbard raises his stock a little bit more. Until Brooks returns, Hubbard deserves, and will receiver, every chance to raise his contractual value and get one yard closer to locking down his NFL future.