Hubbard hamstring injury opens door for Jonathon Brooks
Chuba Hubbard is dealing with a hamstring issue and is week-to-week, according to head coach David Canales, who later said he's confident the 27-year-old will be ready for Carolina's regular-season opener versus Chicago on Sept. 13. Hubbard will be held out of the Panthers' second preseason game at the Bills this coming Saturday.
With Hubbard sidelined for that game, third-year back Jonathon Brooks will mix in with Trevor Etienne and AJ Dillon. Brooks was the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL draft, going 46th overall out of Texas, but has been limited to just three pro efforts after tearing the ACL in his right knee twice over a span of 13 months.
Hubbard ceded command of the Panthers backfield to Rico Dowdle after dealing with a calf strain in Weeks 5 and 6 of last year, and Carolina let Dowdle walk during the offseason, potentially freeing up 275 touches. Hubbard is expected to begin the season as the team's RB1, but there's a clear opportunity for Brooks to overtake the starting spot if Hubbard's hamstring issues linger.
Saints rookie Jordyn Tyson reportedly left Thursday's practice early with what's believed to be a hamstring issue. Bi-lateral hamstring strains limited Tyson to nine games during his final season at Arizona State in 2025, and lingering soft tissue issues also forced him to skip on-field workouts and physical testing at the NFL Combine earlier this year. New Orleans still selected the former Sun Devil No. 8 overall in April's draft.
Tyson was expected to fill the Saints' No. 2 wide receiver role as a complement to Chris Olave. He had his reps managed during the team's offseason program and was medically cleared for training camp in late July, making the resurfacing hamstring issue barely two weeks into practice a concern. If Tyson were to miss time, Olave and Juwan Johnson would continue to lead the team in pass-catching opportunities.