4 Carolina Panthers players who altered perceptions in 2022
By Dean Jones
Chuba Hubbard – Carolina Panthers RB
Much like the situation with Terrace Marshall Jr., Chuba Hubbard‘s rookie campaign didn’t catch the eye enough to convince fans he could carve out a successful NFL career for himself. The running back saw plenty of action with Christian McCaffrey sidelined, but some serious flaws emerged that didn’t seem to progress effectively when touches came his way.
Hubbard found life difficult generating yards after contact. His pass-catching and blocking also left a lot to be desired, so his prospects were hanging in the balance heading into a pivotal sophomore campaign.
The former fourth-round pick was seldom seen over the first five weeks. But once the Panthers traded McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers, opportunities became plentiful as part of Carolina’s new committee approach in the backfield.
D’Onta Foreman did the heavy lifting and excelled behind a quality offensive line. Hubbard’s change of pace role also brought some genuine improvements that should stand him in good stead moving forward.
Hubbard’s performance against the Detroit Lions was his crowning moment of 2022. The Oklahoma State was ruthless en route to 125 rushing yards from 10 carries, which was another perception-altering game from a player that came to life as the season went on.