Chuba Hubbard Suffers 'Legit' Hamstring Injury: What it Means

The injury hits just keep on coming for the Carolina Panthers.

Ikem Ekwonu, Taylor Moton, Chris Brazzell II, Nic Scourton, and Tershawn Wharton are just some of the Panthers who are either working to come back from injury or are already out for the season.

On Thursday, another key player was added to the injury report. Running back Chuba Hubbard, who is trying to hold off Jonathon Brooks for the starting spot, suffered a hamstring injury and had to miss Thursday's practice.

How Serious is Hubbard's Injury?

Fortunately, Hubbard's injury does not seem to be a long-term thing. After practice, Dave Canales referred to it as a "legit" hamstring injury, but didn't rule out the running back returning before Week 1.

"Yeah, we got an MRI on it. He's got a hamstring. It's a legit hamstring," Canales told reporters. "It's week to week right now the way we see it. So we're gonna get him in RTP (return-to-play), we're gonna get him some treatment.

"Very confident he'll be ready for Game 1, trying to get him out there sooner than that. But again, we'll be smart about it, we'll get him back in the appropriate time."

That's a good sign, but it's still disappointing considering Hubbard is trying to hang on to his starting role. It's fair to wonder how much this injury will impact what the Panthers decide at running back.

Impact on Jonathon Brooks

Even before Hubbard's injury, Canales mentioned that Brooks was going to run with the starters in the next preseason game. Brooks has had a fantastic camp and has looked like the most explosive running back on the team.

The plan was to alternate Brooks and Hubbard, but obviously that won't be happening now. It will be interesting to see if the Panthers add a running back in the meantime, or if Miles Davis and A.J. Dillon take on bigger roles.

What this injury does mean is that Brooks will get even more opportunities. The third year running back now has the opportunity to take the starting job and keep it even after Hubbard comes back.

The Panthers are clearly excited about Brooks. The Texas product has barely played since being drafted, but he's healthy now, and looks like a potential star at the running back position.

Even if Brooks does earn the job, Hubbard is still important. The veteran had a 1,000-yard season with the Panthers in 2024, and the team likely wants to keep him around due to Brooks' injury history.