Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard celebrates after scoring against...

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard celebrates after scoring against the New Orleans Saints during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: AP/Jacob Kupferman

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers rewarded running back Chuba Hubbard with a four-year contract extension on Thursday that will keep him with the team through the 2028 season.

Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available.

A 2021 fourth-round draft pick, Hubbard is in the midst of his best season with the Panthers (2-7). He is fifth in the league in yards rushing with 665 and has five touchdowns on the ground while averaging 5 yards per carry. He also has 26 receptions for 108 yards and a TD.

Hubbard ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, in Sunday's 23-22 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Hubbard was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Next up for the Panthers for a contract extension could be cornerback Jaycee Horn, a former first-round draft pick.

The extension comes just as Panthers rookie second-round pick Jonathon Brooks is expected to make his NFL debut on Sunday in Munich against the New York Giants.

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is tackled by New...

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is tackled by New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. Credit: AP/Rusty Jones