The idea behind the Minnesota Vikings‘ trade for running back Cam Akers was to bring in a complimentary backup who knows the offense.
However, in his two games back in Minnesota, Akers (who played six games for the Vikings in 2023) doesn’t have a single carry.
Backup Ty Chandler has two carries in that span and is no longer trusted in the offense. Through the first five weeks, Chandler saw the field on 36% of offensive snaps. Since then, he’s played just 12% of snaps.
Meanwhile, Aaron Jones is being run into the ground. In a Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Jones took 19 carries for 58 yards for a season-low 3.1 yards per carry.
Jones is on pace to surpass 300 touches this season — a mark the eighth-year back has never reached in his career. He’s already dealt with injury this season, and if Minnesota wants to keep him fresh for the postseason, they should consider adding a true running mate to the backfield.
Carolina Panthers back Chuba Hubbard fits the bill.
A 2021 fourth-round pick, Hubbard has the sixth-most rushing yards (593) this season and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He’s also developed into a trusted pass-catcher, securing 24-of-26 targets for 108 yards receiving.
The Panthers are tanking at 1-7 and have taken calls for Hubbard, who could cost merely a Day 3 pick, according to Pro Football Network (PFN).
From PFN:
Trade Proposal
- Vikings Get: RB Chuba Hubbard and 2026 seventh-round pick
- Panthers Get: 2026 sixth-round pick
This doesn’t seem like much for a player who currently ranks sixth in the NFL with 593 rushing yards. But Chuba Hubbard is in the final year of his rookie contract, and running backs without cost control don’t typically command much.
Considering that Carolina just moved wide receiver Diontae Johnson for a late-round pick swap in the fifth and sixth rounds, it stands to reason that Hubbard wouldn’t command much more.
Chuba Hubbard on a Pro Bowl Path
Once knocked for his lack of lateral quickness as solely an outside runner, Hubbard has developed into a well-rounded back that could fit in the Vikings’ mid-zone running scheme.
Hubbard lacked core strength and contact balance to be a three-down back going back to his days at Oklahoma.
However, the 25-year-old back has developed into a reliable contributor in all phases despite the instability in Carolina.
The Panthers Wire’s Jared Feinberg made the case for Hubbard to make the Pro Bowl this season.
“The contact balance issue is now a strength, as he bounces off would-be tacklers. His flaws as a third-down back are now one of his bright spots, as he shows natural pass-catching hands and much-improved discipline and technique in protection,” Feinberg wrote. “It all showed Sunday in Vegas, where he rushed for 114 yards on 21 carries and reeled in five catches for 55 yards and a score. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, his total of 33 rushing yards over expected was the second-highest of his career, as he forced eight missed tackles and displayed his improved creativity and lateral quickness as a runner.”
Hubbard Could Have Longevity With Vikings
While Jones has proved he still has plenty left in the tank in Minnesota, the Vikings would be wise to add to their options in the running back room.
Jones is 30 years old and is playing on an expiring contract. The younger Hubbard could be brought in on an end-of-season rental and warm up to the Vikings organization that has graded as one of the most player-friendly teams in the NFL.
That would bode well for the changes to re-sign Hubbard on an affordable deal and avoid competing in 2025 free agency. He’s on the final year of his $6.3 million rookie deal.
