Bengals DE Sam Hubbard Facing 2-4 Week Absence With Calf Injury

According to Kelsey Conway, Bengals DE Sam Hubbard is looking at an absence in the range of two to four weeks for a calf injury picked up in Sunday’s win against the Buccaneers.

With three games left in the regular season, that could potentially put Hubbard in line to return in time for Cincinnati’s first playoff game. 

Still, that’s potentially a major loss for the stretch run that includes games against the Patriots, Bills and Ravens as the Bengals jockey for seeding in a crowded AFC. 

Hubbard, 27, was selected by the Bengals in the third round out of Ohio State in 2018. He was in the final year of a four-year, $3,389,200 contract that included a $929,200 signing bonus when he signed a four-year, $40 million extension. 

Hubbard will make base salaries of $7.65 million and $7.8 million over the next two seasons. 

In 2022, Hubbard has appeared in 14 games for the Bengals and recorded 57 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three pass deflections. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 35 edge defender out of 119 qualifying players.