Carolina Panthers Linked to 29-TD Superstar as Rico Dowdle Replacement

If there's one thing we learned last year, it's that the Carolina Panthers are at their best when they can run the football well. They don't have to force the run game to have success, but when it's on, the offense takes a whole new (better) shape.

Losing Rico Dowdle in free agency, which is almost a foregone conclusion, will hamper that. Jonathon Brooks could return healthy, but that's not a given. The alternative behind or in support of Chuba Hubbard is Trevor Etienne.

Could the Panthers go back to the free agent well? What if they decided not to bargain-bin shop and really went for a star running back? One insider believes it's possible, listing the Panthers as a landing spot for Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker, who also has 29 career touchdown runs.

Kenneth Walker linked to Panthers in free agency

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) speaks in a press conference after defeating the New England Patriots | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's easy to see the connection for the Panthers and Kenneth Walker. The Panthers are best when running the ball, and having both Chuba Hubbard and Walker would be an unfair duo in the backfield.

That's part of why CBS Sports insider Zachary Pereles listed them as one of five possible landing spots for Walker. The Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs were the others.

"If Dowdle leaves, the Panthers would be left with Chuba Hubbard, who posted a league-worst 0.7% explosive rushing rate last year. Hubbard is a much better player than the number suggests -- he had a 9.6% explosive rush rate in 2024 -- but the offense badly needs juice," Pereles argued.

Pereles pointed out that Carolina was 28th in explosive plays last year. They didn't ask Bryce Young to "rip off big gains" through the air a ton, although they should have and probably will more often in 2026.

Still, if Hubbard's 2025 is a sign of things to come, the Panthers do need another running back. "The Panthers graded as the NFL's fourth-best run-blocking unit, per Pro Football Focus, and placing Walker in that environment could produce exciting results," Pereles concluded.

It is easy to imagine the damage a Walker-Hubbard duo could do, and it's easy to imagine how much easier life would be for Young if the Panthers had that sort of consistently dominant run game.

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs the ball against Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

It is very hard to imagine the Panthers signing Walker. They're not exactly flush with cash, and Walker's projected to earn over $9 million. Plus, if those other teams that need a star running back (namely the Chiefs and Seahawks) get involved, the Panthers can't and won't outbid them.

It's fun to consider, and it would make for a really good move to bolster the offense, but it's not likely. Plus, the Panthers love Hubbard, so bringing in someone who could possibly end up starting over him seems unlikely.

They will either roll with Brooks/Etienne in relief of Hubbard or sign someone much cheaper, like Brian Robinson, Najee Harris, JK Dobbins, or Kenneth Gainwell, to back Hubbard up.

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