Chuba Hubbard injury update: Panthers running back shows progress on Thursday

Mike Moraitis

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Chuba Hubbard injury update: Panthers running back shows progress on Thursday image

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The Carolina Panthers didn't have running back Chuba Hubbard last week because of a calf injury that has had him on the injury report since Week 4.

Hubbard was able to give it a go in Week 4, but he didn't practice at all last week before sitting out against the Miami Dolphins.

In his absence, fellow running back Rico Dowdle went nuclear en route to a career-best performance, rushing for over 200 yards in the 27-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

On Thursday, Hubbard showed a sign of progress in his rehab, but it still remains to be seen if he's going to suit up on Sunday versus the Dallas Cowboys.

Chuba Hubbard injury update

Hubbard was not in uniform with the rest of the team at practice Thursday, which means he's likely going to be labeled as a non-participant once again, as was the case Wednesday.

However, according to ESPN's David Newton, Hubbard was working off to the side and running, so he appears to be making progress in his return.

The Panthers will drop their Wednesday injury report shortly, so we shall see if Hubbard was credited with any participation. If not, he'll have one more day on Friday to get some work in.

If Hubbard can't go, Dowdle will once again take the reins of the backfield and will be in for a monster workload. Some have wondered if Dowdle will be more involved even when Hubbard is healthy.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales has not said one way or the other if that will happen, though.

“What I take from it is we have two good backs, and so we’ll have to figure that part out,” he said, per The Athletic's Joe Person. “That’s a good problem to have. But it’s something we have to work through.”

He also draws a very favorable matchup against a Cowboys defense that is ceding the 10th-most rushing yards per game this season. Dowdle also has the revenge game angle versus his former team.

Dowdle and the Panthers will meet the Cowboys on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET.

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.