Familiar debates are starting to emerge in the Panthers backfield between Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks after OTAs
The Carolina Panthers have another backfield debate situation on their hands with the expectations surrounding Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks coming out of OTAs.
OTAs wrapped up for the Carolina Panthers last week and the cat is out of the bag regarding former second-round pick Jonathon Brooks and his expected return to the team’s backfield this upcoming season.
Brooks was the highlight of the entire team over the last two weeks earning high praise from the coaching staff and his teammates after working his way back from a grueling rehab process.
The Panthers intend to be cautious with how much they put on Brooks’ plate this offseason but once the season begins he’s expected to play a sizable role in the team’s offense. And it’s already leading to some familiar debates in the backfield.
Carolina Panthers RB1 debates are starting to emerge between Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks
Panthers fans, and fantasy owners, probably remember how frustrating the backfield rotation was last season between Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle was in head coach Dave Canales’ offense. We should expect a similar style approach in 2026 with Brooks taking Dowdle’s place in the rotation behind Hubbard.
“He will probably be used similarly to Rico Dowdle in the first two weeks of last season,” Mike Kaye of The Athletic wrote. “The team believes Hubbard can still be a workhorse, and he will probably take the lion’s share of the touches out of the backfield early on.”
In the first two games last season, Hubbard had 34 touches compared to Dowdle’s 12 touches. Things started to change when Hubbard had a two-game absence that allowed Dowdle to flourish with more opportunities. Once Hubbard was back, Canales leaned more toward a 50/50 split in the backfield.
As Brooks works his way back onto the field in a live game setting, it’s safe to assume that the Panthers stay cautious to make sure he gets his legs back under him. Brooks will also be more of a weapon in the passing game, which will help him earn some early opportunities.
But as the season progresses, the Panthers expect Brooks to take on a larger role, like Dowdle did over time, and become a featured player in the offense.
“They’re seeing glimpses of why they thought he could be the featured back of this backfield,” NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe explained. “If he is healthy, they have expectations of him potentially being the lead back over Chuba Hubbard in this offense…
“The hope is, if he can go full go, he can be a guy that defines this offense.”
That share will be something to watch throughout the season and what implications it could have for future seasons if Brooks starts to show out. But, within the backfield, both players are simply looking to bring out the best in each other.
“I saw what he had in him and the potential,” Hubbard said of Brooks. “And for me as a leader, as a competitor, obviously, I’m chasing greatness myself, but I want to see the people around me be great as well. So, I told JB, just stick with me, we’ll work together, and you’re going to be well off.”