Panthers Insider Pumps Brakes on Ickey Ekwonu Replacement in First Round

The Carolina Panthers suddenly need a left tackle after Ikem Ekwonu's injury. He may not play at all in 2026, and if he does, he will be out for a chunk of the season.

That leaves the Panthers in a tough spot. It's a contract year for Ekwonu after the team picked up his fifth-year option, but he likely won't play. What do the Panthers do for 2026 and beyond?

The simplest method is probably to draft a replacement. Regardless of what happens, neither Ekwonu nor Taylor Moton is under contract beyond 2027. The tackle spot needs more help.

When the Panthers get on the board, several tackles could be available:

Francis Mauigoa
Caleb Lomu
Kadyn Proctor
Monroe Freeling

They're all either first-round picks or fringe first-rounders that could be available at 19. Will the Panthers invest now when they need a short-term option and very well could need a long-term option soon?

Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

One insider doesn't think it's likely. Maybe they invest later on in the draft, but a first-round pick is likely to be spent elsewhere, according to Joe Person of The Athletic.

"[GM Dan] Morgan hasn’t taken an offensive lineman in two drafts as a GM, and bringing in a young tackle makes some sense," Person began. "That said, the only way I could see Morgan drafting a tackle at 19 would be if the Panthers are convinced Ekwonu won’t be the same player moving forward, and it’s way too early for them to know that."

Finding a franchise tackle after the first two rounds is difficult, but the Panthers may opt for that path so they can develop him and use him as a stopgap until Ekwonu returns. Before the injury, it looked as if Ekwonu would be a long-term extension shoo-in.

Who does that leave on the table for Carolina? Brian Parker II, Isaiah World, Gennings Dunker, and Drew Shelton could all be intriguing options in the third-round or so.

It would be a huge shock if the Panthers didn't take a tackle at some point, just don't expect the 19th or 51st pick to be used on one.

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