After a brutal 40-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills in week eight, it’s clear that the Carolina Panthers’ offense needs a complete overhaul in the near future.
While it does not make sense for the struggling franchise to make any sudden moves at the trade deadline, there is one change that could take place within the running back room to help the efforts for the rest of the season.
On Monday, head coach Dave Canales told reporters that running back Chuba Hubbard means a lot to the team, but is not ignoring the recent performances from running back Rico Dowdle.
“Chuba Hubbard has meant a lot to this team,” Canales stated. “We wanted to give him an opportunity following his calf injury. But we can’t ignore the fact that Rico [Dowdle] has been exceptional.”
Last year, Hubbard exploded onto the scene for the Panthers, totaling 1,195 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in the final year of his rookie deal. This paved the way for general manager Dan Morgan to sign the talented playmaker to a four-year, $33 million extension, making him the 15th highest-paid running back in the NFL.
However, the organization has yet to see its extension of Hubbard pay dividends in 2025, as the 26-year-old running back has 282 rushing yards in his six games played. The former 2021 fourth-round pick missed two games this season due to a calf injury, which led to the rise of Dowdle on offense.
Dowdle, who spent last season as the Dallas Cowboys' lead running back, originally signed with the Panthers to become the second halfback behind Hubbard. This quickly changed with Hubbard out, as he managed to rush for 389 yards and one touchdown with the team’s lead back out.
Fans have now seen how Canales has treated both players in the team’s last two games. And while both have received a similar workload during the stretch, Dowdle has outgained Hubbard on the ground, 103 yards to 65 yards.
Looking at the rest of the season, the Panthers have a daunting schedule that will require the best play out of the offense to find success. In order to truly see what the offense is capable of, Canales should not hesitate to give Dowdle more opportunities for the rest of the 2025 season.