I'll throw up a slightly less controversial scenario to kick around Reddit a little for some fan feedback

There's been a lot of talk about the overstaffed running back room in Carolina. In no particular order there's Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone, Jonathon Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, Rashaad Penny, Miles Sanders, and Jaden Shirden.

That's 7.

I can't see the Panthers going in to the season with more than 4 RBs, and that's only if number 4 is a big ST piece.

I'm sure most of the fan base agrees, and coaches have said as much, that Chubba is RB1, followed by Brooks and Sanders in an unknown order at 2 and 3, Blackshear and then "the other 3"

Blackshear is a BIG ST contributor, and with the new rules, I personally think his stock went up a little bit coming in to this season.

Sanders is going to be a Panther this year, for dozens of reasons, none of which are good ones.

Brooks obviously isn't going anywhere and I'd say the most obvious "build for the long term" of this draft for us, so short of a miraculous year from Chubba, I think it's Brook's room going in to next season.

That leaves Chubba, who's on a reasonable contact. If one of those "other 3" turn in a good off-season, I think that Chubba could end up a trade casualty of this rebuild if there's reasonable draft compensation in it.

I love Chubba Hubbard. Chubba Chubba Choo Choo. His rise to RB1 has been special. it's just that he's only getting 1m a year and next season is his last contracted year. He's not going to get paid if Brooks proves to be even 80% of what they hope he'll be. It's hard to trade a player in a contract year unless a team is chasing a ring and plugging holes. Just like with Burns, right now, between now and August, Chubba is at his highest trade value he'll likely ever be at, from a return on investment standpoint.

Is Chubba's projected performance this year worth sacrificing for another, say early 3rd in what is going to be a very important 2025 draft?

What if anyone steps up and Blackshear has a good off-season, does that give confidence to a room of Brooks, Sanders and Blackshear?

My personal opinion is that if Hubbard can be traded in a scenario where the Panthers win in value, we execute a trade.

3 RBs on the roster opens up another depth piece somewhere Else. Any of those other 3 can be retained on the practice squad and the fact that Blackshear can fill the ST role and RB3 role gives more roster flexibility.

EDIT- remember y'all, Chubba is only on 1m a year contract, he is a higher value for a pick when his production vs salary are taken in to account. I'm not saying he's worth a 3rd, I think I overreached to make my point when I made that statement, but id say he's worth a solid 6th or perhaps a mid level CB if we fall short there for any reason