The Panthers' Biggest Need May Not Be Tight End After All

Carolina allowed its 2025 rushing leader test free agency in March. With Rico Dowdle now in Pittsburgh, does the Panthers’ backfield still have enough talent?

Jan 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) rushes the ball against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half during the NFC Wild Card Round game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This offseason, the reigning NFC South champions were aggressive in free agency, and did not suffer an abundance of veteran departures. However, the Carolina Panthers got a big year from one of their 2025 offseason acquisitions, and he’s now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s one reason that ESPN’s Aaron Schatz suggests that the biggest roster hole for Dave Canales’s team is running back.

Carolina may have a problem with its running back room

CHUBA HUBBARD CALLS GAME IN OT TO ELIMINATE THE CARDINALS 😤

pic.twitter.com/VKIP0qLbdj

— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) December 22, 2024

“The Panthers let Rico Dowdle leave in free agency," explained Schatz, “and are planning to start Chuba Hubbard, who was excellent in 2024 but last year had the lowest avoided tackle rate among backs with at least 100 carries, according to FTN charting.”

Hubbard’s excellent 2024 saw him start the team’s first 15 games of the season. He amassed career highs in carries (250), yards (1,195) and rushing touchdowns (10). He opened 2025 as the starter but a calf injury in October knocked him out of two games. He wound up taking a back seat to Dowdle. He’s now back as the main threat, with Jonathon Brooks, Trevor Etienne, and DJ Dillon (late of the Eagles) in reserve.

Here’s a closer look at the Panthers’ ground attack this past season, which took a bit of a nosedive after a strong start and some big efforts from Dowdle.

Panthers’ ground game thrived in the first half of 2025

Rico Dowdle has Eric Collins going absolutely bonkers on the Dolphins-Panthers broadcast. 🏈🔥🎙️ #NFL pic.twitter.com/md7ukSxYQs

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 5, 2025

Nine weeks into the 2025 season, only four teams in the league were averaging more rushing yards per game (139.8) than Canales’s club. Dowdle ranked third in the league with 735 yards on the ground, trailing only the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (895) and the Bills’ James Cook (867)—the latter the NFL’s eventual rushing champion.

Perhaps even more significantly was that in the team’s Week 2 loss at Arizona, the Panthers totaled only 19 carries for 49 yards on the ground. That marked the only time in their first nine game that Canales’s offense failed to total at least 25 rushing attempts and fewer than 100 rushing yards.

 “Carolina ranked ninth in run offense DVOA for the first half of the season,” added Schatz, “but only 22nd from Week 10 onward.”

Dave Canales’s running game disappeared as 2025 wore on

That certainly adds up. In Carolina’s final eight games, the Panthers averaged just 89.9 yards per game rushing. They were held below the century mark in five of those outings, and managed 25-plus attempts just four times, and that was with Dowdle in the lineup.

CHUBA HUBBARD WITH HIS SECOND TD OF THE DAY 💪

Panthers take the lead vs. the Rams 24-20 👀

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/aabCHYFhxE

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 11, 2026

Hubbard was actually the team’s leading ball-carrier in the 34-31 playoff loss to the Rams, and ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns. However, the cub managed only 83 yards rushing on 22 attempts.

Perhaps the Panthers’ biggest need is not necessarily a running back, but more of a commitment to the ground game. That certainly didn’t seem to be the case after the club’s 5-4 start. Including the team’s wild card setback, Canales and company dropped six of their final nine game.