The Chicago Bears enter Year 2 of the Ben Johnson era with not just hopes — but expectations of building on an impressively swift turnaround. Their road to back-to-back NFC North titles begins on the road against the Carolina Panthers, who could be down their starting running back, Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard is "week-to-week" with what Panthers head coach Dave Canales called a "legit" hamstring injury. The news comes roughly a month before the Bears open 2026 in Carolina. It puts the veteran tailback in jeopardy of being sidelined for a conference showdown between two reigning division champions.
For what it's worth, Canales is "very confident" that Hubbard will be ready to go when the Bears come to town. The club "will be smart" and err on the side of caution, however.
Either way, a porous Bears defense can use all the help they can get, especially when it comes to containing foes on the ground. Only three clubs gave up more rushing yards per attempt (5.0). Chicago also ranked 27th in total rush defense with a ghastly weekly average of 134.2 yards allowed.
Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard’s injury could give the Bears a major Week 1 advantage
Even if Hubbard is in the lineup versus the Bears, it's easy to envision him having to shake off rust after an extended absence. He will have missed incredibly valuable training camp reps. Perhaps the Panthers try to ease their bell cow back into action, or his physical limitations while ramping up do more harm than good.
While Hubbard is coming off a down campaign, he's by far the most established back on the Panthers' roster. Rico Dowdle's free-agency departure to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason left a significant void that Carolina hasn't adequately addressed. The former Oklahoma State star is just two years removed from breaking out and recording 1,366 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns.
There's a lot of intrigue surrounding Panthers RB Jonathon Brooks, whose first two NFL seasons have been derailed by a second ACL tear. The 2024 second-round pick has the size, speed and explosiveness to elevate Carolina's backfield and eventually usurp Hubbard when right. Be that as it may, much of the buzz is merely theoretical until proven otherwise; Brooks has logged only 12 touches in the pros.
Less Chuba Hubbard vs. Bears means more Bryce Young
Hubbard's status might prove to be a double whammy of positives for the Bears. His outlook may prompt a more one-dimensional Bryce Young-led attack, which leaves much to be desired, to say the least. Carolina's quarterback hasn't shown he can consistently elevate his team without a proper supporting cast, let alone when a prominent playmaker is missing or hampered.
While 2025 was a career year for Young across the board, his completion percentage (63.6) and passer rating (87.8) were still below league average. He also finished 30th among 33 qualified QBs in yards per attempt (6.3). The Panthers tried masking him with a run-first approach, though that becomes much harder to do if Hubbard isn't fully healthy or doesn't suit up.
Read more: What should Ben Johnson realistically expect from Bears' offense in 2026?
The Bears would be able to focus on shutting down Carolina’s No. 1 wide receiver, Tetairoa McMillan, without sacrificing the trenches. He's the one true game-changer Canales and Co. can lean on other than Hubbard.
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