Dave Canales comments on Panthers' biggest question mark vs. Cardinals

Carolina's head coach is optmistic about left tackle Ickey Ekwonu returning to the lineup this week after missing the season opener.

Sep 7, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales comes off the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Having their starting left tackle in the lineup probably wouldn't have changed the end result of last week's season opener for the Carolina Panthers. It certainly wouldn't have hurt, though. With Ickey Ekwonu sitting out as he recovered from an appendectomy, the Panthers started Yosh Nijman on the blindside.

That arrangement didn't exactly work out, well. Nijman allowed six pressures on Bryce Young and wound up posting a 38.4 pass blocking grade. Only center Austin Corbett posted a lower mark among Carolina's offensive linemen, raising questions about why head coach Dave Canales started Nijman rather than proven backup Brady Christensen.

The good news is that Ekwonu appears on track to play in tomorrow's road game against the Arizona Cardinals. Ekwonu was limited at practice all week, but Canales says he's optimistic about him playing.

Dave Canales is optimistic #Panthers LT Ickey Ekwonu will play Sunday at Arizona. pic.twitter.com/h4mnwlUWrg

— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) September 12, 2025

If Ekwonu does end up playing, the matchup he will likely see most often will come against outside linebacker Josh Sweat, who signed with the Cardinals this past offseason after spending seven years with the Philadelphia Eagles. All together he's totaled 43 sacks and 98 QB hits in his career.

Whenever he does join the lineup, this is going to be a make or break season for Ekwonu, who is on pace to play out his fith-year option in 2026 for a little over $17.5 million. A strong season would likely earn the 25-year old a lucrative long-term contract with the Panthers.

However, if Ekwonu struggles it's going to be pretty difficult to justify paying him that number next season - and it might be worth exploring a trade next offseason.

Dec 22, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) takes the field during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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