One analyst has floated a Panthers-Packers trade idea that would send Chuba Hubbard to Green Bay before the start of 2026, but Carolina has every reason to pump the brakes.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay listed four running backs around the league that teams should try to acquire via trade, and Hubbard was one of them. Kay went a step further and pegged the Packers as the fit, pointing to the uncertainty around Josh Jacobs, who is still the subject of an investigation tied to a May arrest that did not lead to charges being filed.
“Hubbard's presence would not only provide the Packers with a quality option to rotate in but also the insurance the squad needs to stay afloat if the starter has to sit out,” Kay wrote.
Kay’s logic for putting Hubbard on the block starts with Jonathon Brooks, whom he sees as the Panthers’ backfield answer in 2026. Brooks is finally healthy after missing all but three games across his first two NFL seasons because of a pair of torn ACLs, including one suffered in college.
Kay also noted, “The Carolina Panthers are poised to turn their backfield over to Jonathon Brooks in 2026. With the third-year veteran set to take over the RB1 gig that Rico Dowdle vacated this spring, incumbent backup Chuba Hubbard could be rendered expendable,”
That’s where the idea runs into reality for Carolina.
Brooks may be the future, but calling him the clear RB1 right now is a big leap. The Panthers would like that path to open up, especially with the investment they made in him as a second-round pick, but nothing about it is guaranteed.
He still has to prove he can stay on the field, and he still has to show he can handle starting duties. With his limited experience, that process could take time - and there’s always the possibility he never fully gets there.
Even if Brooks does take that step, the Panthers would still be better off keeping Hubbard around through the season unless things go sideways early enough in 2026 to knock them out of the playoff picture before the trade deadline.
Carolina leans on the run, which makes depth in the backfield more than a luxury. It’s a necessity, especially with Brooks’ injury history.
And if Hubbard were moved, the Panthers wouldn’t have an obvious replacement ready to share the load. Trevor Etienne remains an unknown, and AJ Dillon hasn’t mattered in a backfield since 2023.
So while the trade chatter is out there, Hubbard looks more likely to stay put for another year. If Brooks locks down the job this season, though, 2027 is a different story.
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Kyle Trask now steps into a group that already has a clear starter and two other challengers, which makes the backup picture worth watching as camp and preseason work unfold. The move also marks a noticeable shift from the teams earlier stance on staying put at the position, and it leaves the Panthers with a deeper, more crowded quarterback setup than they expected to have. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers May Finally Have Their Best-Case 2026 Backfield Story
The Panthers backfield picture for 2026 already has a familiar shape, with Chuba Hubbard still the established lead option and Jonathon Brooks trying to force his way into the conversation. Brooks remains the kind of talent Carolina can dream on if the health cooperates, which is why he stands out as the teams most intriguing breakout candidate in a speculative look around the NFC South.
Brooks has been back on the field for offseason work and into camp, and the early signs matter because Carolina does not need him to take over the backfield to make an impact. If he can stay available, there is a real path to a substantial role behind Hubbard, giving the Panthers a chance to turn a promising skill set into one of the more useful one-two punches in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathon Brooks Just Put Panthers Fans On Comeback Watch
Jonathon Brooks was back around the Panthers on the first padded practice of the summer, and just seeing him out there offered a reminder of how long this road has been. The running back spoke about his recovery work after knee surgeries, with Chuba Hubbard emerging as a steady presence through the process, and Brooks also sounded energized by the chance to be part of the teams next live action in the coming Hall of Fame Game.
There was a little bit of star power on the sideline too, with Steve Smith Sr. and Chad Ochocinco around practice, though Brooks missed his window to meet both of them. For Panthers fans, the more important sight was Brooks taking another step forward in a summer that has been about patience, rehab and the hope that his next meaningful football moment is getting closer. [Read more 🡒]