The Dallas Cowboys (3-4) enter a critical Week 9 contest against the Atlanta Falcons in a precarious position offensively, fielding the NFL's worst run game in terms of total rush yards, rush yards per contest and rush yards per carry.
If ever there was a team in need of dealing for a running back, it is the 2024 Cowboys. In that context, Gilbert Manzano and Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated constructed a trade pitch that would see Dallas swap a fourth-round pick in 2025 to the Carolina Panthers in return for up-and-coming rusher Chuba Hubbard.
"The Cowboys have the worst rushing attack in the NFL with Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott as the top two options in the backfield," Manzano and Verderame wrote on Wednesday, Oct. 30. "Hubbard is in the midst of a breakout season as one of the few positives in Carolina. With the price tag going up, the Panthers might be willing to part with Hubbard, who could be a sought-after free agent in 2024. Perhaps he can find a long-term home in Dallas if the team can work out a trade with the Panthers."
Hubbard's breakout began during his third professional season in 2023, when he tallied career highs in starts (12), rushing attempts (238), rushing yards (902) and rushing TDs (5).
The Panthers running back has produced 593 rushing yards and 3 scores on the ground through eight games in 2024. Hubbard's rushing yardage total is greater than that of the entire Cowboys' backfield at what is approximately the halfway point of the season. He is also rushing for a career high of 5 yards per attempt.
Carolina drafted running back Jonathon Brooks out of the University of Texas in the second round this year, though he has been out all season due to an ACL injury he suffered while still playing in the collegiate ranks. He is the future of the Panthers' offensive backfield, at least in part due to the fact that Hubbard is set to hit free agency in March of next year.
That could deter some teams from giving up a meaningful Day 2 draft pick to acquire him on what would essentially be a half-season rental. However, the Cowboys are in dire straits and in need of a multiyear answer at the position, so dealing for Hubbard now could potentially serve as both an immediate and a long-term play in Dallas.
