The Carolina Panthers will have to wait a little longer before Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks are on the field together again.
But this time, it has nothing to do with the 2024 second-round pick out of Texas.
Hubbard was not spotted at practice on Thursday. Head coach Dave Canales later revealed that the running back is dealing with a hamstring injury and is week-to-week.
Carolina Panthers will be without Chuba Hubbard as injury woes deepen
Brooks was expected to share responsibilities with his teammate during his return to action against the Buffalo Bills this weekend, but he'll now fly solo as the confirmed starter.
"We're going to get him some treatment. Very confident he'll be ready for game one, 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."
It won't be for long, of course. But now, Brooks heads into his first taste of NFL action since Week 14 of the 2024 season without his primary support system.
Brooks is a dynamic, fast backfield force who represents a dual-threat for Carolina to lean on. Hubbard was expected to do the heavy lifting early on before things evened out. That might still be the case, but this hamstring issue couldn't have come at a worse time.
The Panthers have already lost some influential pieces this offseason. In some cases, they are gone for the entire season. Hubbard's issue isn't nearly as severe, but it does need adequate rest to prevent further setbacks.
Carolina Panthers won't put too much on Jonathon Brooks, even with Chuba Hubbard out
It's not what Hubbard wanted after a down year by his typically high standards. The Oklahoma State product has put together a decent summer before this, but the Panthers are right to be ultra-cautious. Until then, Brooks will be the lead man, and he won't be entirely alone either.
One would expect Brooks to play a series or two at Highmark Stadium before coming out. After that, the onus will be on players such as Trevor Etienne, A.J. Dillon, and Miles Davis to take center stage to improve their chances of involvement. And as Canales stated, the Panthers won't risk Hubbard until he's fully ready.
Just when the Panthers finally have momentum, the injury bug has bitten them. Not having Tershawn Wharton, Taylor Moton, Nic Scourton, and rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II long-term represents a major setback. Hubbard may not have Brooks' upside, but he's an integral part of Carolina's offensive game plan as well.
The Panthers won't be putting any unnecessary pressure on Brooks, even without Hubbard.
It's still the preseason, and the main focus remains emerging unscathed from his first contact in an uncontrolled setting for the best part of two years. And it would be surprising if it was anything more than one or two touches.
Hopefully, Hubbard will be back sooner rather than later. Week 1 is now the goal, and he'll be striving to prove his fitness long before then.
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