CHARLOTTE — The Panthers want to be a draft-and-develop team, and they want to run the ball to create a personality.
They took an aggressive step to address both philosophies Thursday morning.
The team extended the contract of running back Chuba Hubbard, rewarding a player who exemplifies what head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan want the Panthers to look like. The four-year extension keeps him here through 2028.
"We are excited to sign Chuba to an extension and keep him in Carolina," said Morgan. "He exemplifies everything we want on and off the field. Chuba is passionate about football, is productive and is committed to his teammates and winning."
Hubbard leads the Panthers with six touchdowns this year, matching a career-high. That includes two last week against the Saints, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter.
He's also fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 665 and is in the top 10 in the league in both rushing first downs (33) and yards per attempt (5.00).
The 2021 fourth-round pick would have been a free agent at the end of the season, so locking him up now was a priority for the organization.
On Wednesday, Morgan alluded to the deal, saying: "We're definitely working towards some stuff right now that we're excited about."
Hubbard is sixth on the Panthers' all-time rushing list with 2,645 yards, trailing just Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams, Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, and DeShaun Foster.
And now, he has a chance to continue to climb.
View photos of the Panthers running back throughout his career.
