After drafting Brooks, Panthers show commitment to run in extending Hubbard

Some wondered why the Panthers committed starter money to running back Chuba Hubbard on Thursday morning, considering the team committed a second-round pick to taking Jonathon Brooks in the 2024 draft. Consider it a commitment to the running the ball.

“We just see another good back that we can add to the fold and Chuba is going to do a great job of leading the charge,” offensive coordinator Brad Idzik said Thursday.

While Hubbard and Brooks are far from getting their own nicknames, like David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit, they do present different challenges for defenses, starting with the Giants (2-7) on Sunday in Munich (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network). Carolina (2-7) will have both backs available for the first time, now that Brooks is finally recovered from the ACL injury that ended his final season at Texas.

The Panthers activated Brooks on Wednesday, then woke up in Germany on Thursday and handed Hubbard a four-year extension worth a reported $33 million. Per beat writer Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer, Hubbard’s deal is worth $33.2 million with $15 million guaranteed.

“He exemplifies everything we want on and off the field,” said general manager Dan Morgan in a team statement. “Chuba is passionate about football, is productive and is committed to his teammates and winning.”

Winning isn’t something Hubbard and the Panthers have experienced often since Carolina selected him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft. But despite Carolina’s record this season, Hubbard ranks fifth in the league with 665 rushing yards. The Panthers also showed a lot of promise in their 23-22 comeback win last week and, with another victory over the Giants, would have their first winning streak since 2022.

But this was more than a commitment to the running game, something head coach Dave Canales has repeatedly voiced this season. The Panthers also extended Hubbard because he’s a core culture carrier around whom the franchise wants to build.

Morgan’s college scouts are on the road this week searching for players to build around Hubbard. While the Panthers still owe Chicago a second-round selection in the 2025 draft, as part of the deal that allowed Carolina to select Bryce Young, Morgan did acquire a second-rounder in a trade with the Rams. And just this week, he sent Jonathan Mingo to Dallas for the Cowboys’ fourth-round choice in April.

And in a copycat league, there’s nothing wrong with admiring a team like Detroit and making moves toward duplicating a recipe that has made the Lions what most consider the best team in the NFL.

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