Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, or Jonathon Brooks: Who will lead Panthers’ RBs in 2024?

As the Carolina Panthers count down the days until their first full training camp in Charlotte, The Observer is breaking down the team’s roster one position room at a time.

After taking a look at the quarterback depth chart to begin our series, the crowded running back room — led by a pair of veteran ball-carriers — is due for an audit.

The big question: Who will lead Carolina’s running back rotation?

Chuba Hubbard enters training camp with a ton of momentum. The 2021 fourth-round pick had a breakout season of sorts last year, and he has already impressed new head coach Dave Canales with his work ethic and leadership skills this offseason.

Hubbard’s 2023 success, in a way, came at the expense of highly paid veteran Miles Sanders, who was unceremoniously demoted during the second half of last year following a dreadful start to the campaign.

Sanders, who has a fully guaranteed $4 million base salary, is looking to bounce back this summer during his second year in Charlotte. While Hubbard appears to be the heavy favorite to lead the backfield, Sanders — who has earned praise from Hubbard and Canales for his team-first mentality — isn’t going to go away quietly, despite some external speculation that he was a potential release candidate this summer.

Sanders and Hubbard are facing make-or-break outlooks for different reasons.

Hubbard is looking to build on last year’s success in hopes of landing a strong free-agent deal next offseason. Sanders, on the other hand, is looking to prove he’s still a viable playmaker after an abysmal first year with the Panthers. In reality, both goals are attainable, especially because the duo’s skill sets complement each quite well on paper.

But, obviously, both will hope to get the lion’s share of the carries in the backfield. And no matter who wins that competition, he’s likely to have to keep his foot on the gas in order to avoid being one-upped by intriguing rookie running back Jonathon Brooks, who is coming off an ACL surgery that kept him sidelined for the entirety of the offseason program.

It is unclear whether or not Brooks will begin camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. The Panthers and Brooks have both said that his goal is to be back on the field for training camp. However, there is no risk in placing the second-round pick on the PUP list for a few days before easing him into action.

The Panthers traded up to land Brooks on Day 2, and they are likely to be cautious with the 21-year-old. Eventually, though, Brooks will be counted on to contribute in a major way in the backfield.

The Panthers’ RB depth chart

▪ The projected starter: Chuba Hubbard — The fourth-year running back is entering the final year of his rookie contract. After a breakout 2023 campaign, Hubbard will look to keep that momentum going as the presumed focal point of the running back rotation. His ability to minimize lost yardage and move the pile on short-yardage plays should endear him to a coaching staff that has loudly stated its desire to run the ball.

▪ The projected backup: Miles Sanders — The former Philadelphia Eagles playmaker is trying to make the most of a clean slate with a new offensive coaching staff. Once named a Pro Bowl running back, Sanders still has some juice to make big plays — especially in the passing game. He will look to parlay his versatility into a major role this season. With a guaranteed base salary, Sanders is likely here to stay, barring trade interest or an awful showing this summer.

▪ The future: Jonathon Brooks — The Panthers made Brooks the top running back off the board in this year’s draft. With an intriguing blend of short-area quickness, long-end speed and understated power, Brooks has the upside to be a top-tier player at his position down the road. However, after sustaining a major knee injury in November, he needs to show that his ability hasn’t been slighted by surgery. Ultimately, Carolina wants Brooks to be a featured player within their rebuilt offense.

▪ The competition: Raheem Blackshear, Rashaad Penny, Mike Boone and Jaden Shirden. Of this group, Blackshear has the most staying power because of his special teams prowess. Blackshear has been a fixture of the team’s kickoff unit for two seasons, and with the new rules in place for kickoffs, it’s fair to expect him to stick around in that role again.

Penny was signed this spring because of his background with Canales and the offensive staff, but he needs to prove that he can stay healthy and contribute on special teams to have a shot at the 53-man roster. Boone and Shirden will look to overcome the odds and surprise the staff to stick around in some form this fall.

Player to watch in camp: Jonathon Brooks

Make no mistake about it: Carolina’s front office wants to see Brooks operating in a major role this season. But the staff needs to monitor the rookie as he comes off major knee surgery.

If Brooks starts the summer on the PUP list, it won’t be a cause for concern, as the Panthers were aware of the injury and its various drawbacks heading into the draft. The Panthers also have two veterans in Hubbard and Sanders, who have plenty of starting experience and can hold down the fort. Penny, a former first-round pick, can also take on the bulk of Brooks’ touches during the early days of training camp if the rookie needs more time before taking part in team drills.

But once Brooks is cleared for action, he will be the running back to watch. While Sanders and Hubbard are skilled playmakers, Brooks’ upside is tremendous, especially as a home-run threat out of the backfield.

It’s likely a matter of “when” not “if” in assessing Brooks’ long-term climb to the top of the rotation. For now, though, the Panthers will try to stay patient as they await the potential firework plays from their second-round draft pick.