NFC Notes: Chuba Hubbard, Mickey Loomis, Darren Rizzi, Panthers, Saints

Panthers

• The Panthers signed RB Chuba Hubbard to a three-year extension on Thursday. DC Ejiro Evero called Hubbard the hardest-working player on the team: “Arguably, not even arguably, the hardest worker on the team.” (David Newton)
• Hubbard after getting an extension: “I think we’re building something special here.” (David Newton)
• Carolina second-round RB Jonathan Brooks and OLB D.J. Wonnum could debut in Week 10, per HC Dave Canales. (Newton)
• Panthers CB Jaycee Horn feels the team is trending in the right direction: “Jump on the ship while you can.” (Newton)

Saints

Saints GM Mickey Loomis had high praise of CB Marshon Lattimore, who was traded to the Commanders, but feels injuries have held him back for the last couple of years. 

“Marshon has been a fantastic player for us,” Loomis said, via John Deshazier of the team’s site. “He was a great draft pick – he was the Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl a number of times. He’s a fantastic player, he’s a good teammate. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about Marshon. Unfortunately, the last couple of years he’s had some soft tissue injuries to deal with and a couple other injuries to deal with. But he still is, I believe, one of the better corners in our league and Washington is getting a good player for their playoff push and their run. So I wish him nothing but the best, I really do.”

In the end, Loomis is pleased with their return for Lattimore. 

“Ultimately, it came down to a deal I thought was good for us, good value for us and that’s why we did it. It gives us a good amount of picks in this next year’s draft,” Loomis said

Saints

Saints GM Mickey Loomis said they aren’t in a rush to make any decisions at head coach following the firing of Dennis Allen and want to observe the team throughout the rest of the season. 

“That’s not something that we’re going to be real active with right now,” Loomis said, via John Deshazier of the team’s site. “There’s plenty of time for that when the season ends. Our focus has got to be on our team – our players, our coaches, our staff.”

Loomis recalled how Hurricane Katrina in 2005 helped them learn about people within the organization and wants to take a similar approach with the remainder of 2024. 

“You learn more about who you have and who the people are that you’re working with in adversity than you do when things are going well. As much as Katrina and that whole experience was difficult back in ’05, we learned a lot about the people that were with the Saints at that time. It drove a lot of decisions after that.”

Loomis has been impressed by new interim HC Darren Rizzi, who has been the team’s assistant head coach and special teams coordinator since 2022. 

“I thought he did a great job. We talked about what his message would be beforehand and I thought it was well-received,” Loomis said. “And, look, any time you have a change in the middle of a season you’re going to have some emotion involved with that, and hopefully that emotion creates a little positive bump. And I felt like that happened (Monday). I thought Rizzi did a great job talking to the team, talking to the media, describing some things that we wanted to do differently just to hopefully jump-start the back half of the season.”

• Saints RB Jamaal Williams isn’t expected to play in Week 10 after suffering a groin injury in practice, per Rizzi. (Mike Triplett)
• Rizzi also mentioned injured reserve is “on the table” for WR Chris Olave but the decision hasn’t been made yet. (Triplett)