Key Panthers Free Agent Predicted to Join Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

The Carolina Panthers are probably losing Rico Dowdle, their leading rusher in 2025 by a fair margin, to free agency. He seems ready to move on and find an opportunity without competition, and the Panthers probably don't love how he finished the year.

It's in the best interest of both parties, for both financial and on-field performance reasons, to part ways this offseason. But where is the Panthers RB going to go? And more importantly, is he going to face the Panthers and force them to buckle up?

That remains to be seen, but the latest prediction sees him landing with the Kansas City Chiefs, who the Panthers do not play.

Rico Dowdle heads to Kansas City in latest FA prediction

Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) during pregame warm ups before the NFC Wild Card Round game | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Rico Dowdle enjoyed his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, this time for the Carolina Panthers. Because he was signed to a one-year deal from the last free agency cycle, he's now on the open market.

Dowdle exploded when given the RB1 role after Chuba Hubbard's injury, but he faded down the stretch. He was a total nonfactor in the last few games, and Hubbard got his job back.

Therein lies the main reason he's hitting free agency with slim chances of returning to the Panthers. Bleacher Report's Moe Moton predicts he will land with the Kansas City Chiefs, which is good news for him and the Panthers.

The Chiefs aren't on the 2026 slate, so there will be no repeat "buckle up" event where he terrorizes his former team. Additionally, the Chiefs and Panthers cannot meet until a theoretical Super Bowl, which is an unlikely matchup.

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Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs the ball against Seattle Seahawks | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Put simply, the Panthers will avoid the Dowdle revenge. For the back, he will go to a team that could not run the ball in 2025 and desperately needs help there, so he'd get the lion's share of the carries and play with Patrick Mahomes.

"Despite his recent production, Dowdle won't garner as much attention as the household names with accolades and early-round draft pedigrees. He may be available at a modest price, making him an ideal fit for the Kansas City Chiefs," Moton wrote.

"Along with his rising rushing totals, Dowdle has caught 78 passes for 546 yards and four touchdowns since 2024," he continued. "If the Chiefs lose Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt in free agency, Dowdle could handle the lion's share of their backfield touches in a significant role."

Dowdle was a good performer in his likely lone year in Charlotte, but it wasn't good enough for long enough to warrant a new contract.