The Green Bay Packers are looking to erase the sour taste of last season from their mouths as they head into 2026, but they certainly aren’t entering the campaign without questions.
Micah Parsons will be sidelined for the first half of the year as he recovers from a torn ACL, and running back Josh Jacobs’ availability is in question due to some legal issues.
As far as the running back situation is concerned, Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay has identified a potential solution in the event that Jacobs is suspended: Carolina Panthers halfback Chuba Hubbard.
The Panthers appear ready to hand the primary role to Jonathon Brooks, the third-year player expected to step into the RB1 position previously occupied by Rico Dowdle. That shift could leave Hubbard, a proven contributor at age 27, as a surplus piece.
Hubbard — who signed a four-year, $33.2 million extension with Carolina in November 2024 — demonstrated his value as a featured back two years ago, rushing for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 250 carries while adding 171 receiving yards and a score on 43 catches.
Even when not carrying the full load, he has shown reliability in rotational and backup duties, the kind of versatility that holds appeal for contending clubs seeking depth without overhauling their schemes.
Carolina faces a decision balancing risk and reward. Brooks’ injury history, including consecutive right-knee ACL tears, might encourage the team to keep Hubbard as insurance. Yet the financial and draft-pick incentives could prove difficult to ignore.
Trading him would create significant cap relief—saving nearly $6 million against just $1.5 million in dead money—while freeing a roster spot and potentially netting valuable draft capital. The Panthers would still retain younger options such as 2025 fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne and veteran A.J. Dillon behind Brooks, softening the blow of Hubbard’s departure.
For the Packers, Hubbard represents a logical fit as they look to fortify the backfield. Jacobs remains an effective three-down option when healthy, but given his uncertain future, Green Bay may have to consider alternative options. Even without league action, Jacobs has missed multiple games in two of the past three seasons, and the heavy workload of 607 touches over the last two years raises legitimate concerns about wear and tear.
Hubbard would step in as Green Bay’s clear No. 2 running back (or potentially the starter if Jacobs is suspended), surpassing current options like the lightly used Chris Brooks and the injury-prone MarShawn Lloyd. His presence would offer more than simple depth.
It would give the Packers a dependable rotational piece capable of easing Jacobs’ burden and a ready-made replacement should the starter miss time. In a league where backfield durability often determines a team’s ability to sustain offensive rhythm, that insurance carries real weight.
Kay’s projection places Hubbard squarely in Green Bay as the most sensible landing spot among several potential trade targets around the NFL. The idea underscores a broader truth about modern roster building: teams with excess at one position can solve problems for those with shortages, exchanging talent for flexibility and future assets.
Whether the Panthers ultimately decide to move Hubbard remains to be seen, but the rationale for a Packers acquisition is clear. A player who has already proven he can handle featured work and contribute as a complementary piece would strengthen Green Bay’s ground game at a moment when certainty is hard to come by.
As camps progress and evaluations sharpen, this is the sort of transaction that could quietly reshape two backfields before the regular season begins.
