NFL Insider Bemoans Panthers Losing Rico Dowdle, Cade Mays For 1 Key Reason

So far, the Carolina Panthers have only lost two of their free agents. They released A'Shawn Robinson, but of the players whose contracts expired, only Rico Dowdle and Cade Mays found new homes in the first wave of free agency.

Those are perhaps the most substantial losses this Panthers team could have suffered. A starting center and a good running back aren't inconsequential, especially for a team that wants to run the ball.

Besides a potential downtick in rushing proficiency, the Panthers may regret letting those two leave for another reason, one NFL insider claims.

Losing Rico Dowdle and Cade Mays could hurt Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) with the ball as running back Rico Dowdle (5) is in the foreground | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Panthers have been quite busy this offseason. They added two premier defenders, a left tackle, and a handful of other players to fill needs. But they also lost Rico Dowdle and Cade Mays, two important starters.

FOX Sports analyst Ralph Vacciano believes the Panthers did improve, moving them from 24th to 22nd in his post-free agency power rankings, but he is concerned about the loss of Mays and Dowdle.

"They massively overpaid for edge rusher Jaelen Phillips, but he and linebacker Devin Lloyd will still help their defense. Losing center Cade Mays and running back Rico Dowdle, though, isn’t good news for a still-growing quarterback," Vacciano wrote.

This echoes Dave Canales' mindset. He believes the best thing for a developing quarterback is a good running game to keep them out of difficult situations. Losing Dowdle does impact their running game.

Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays (64) on the sidelines in the fourth quarter | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

So does Mays. Luke Fortner is a good center, but he's a better pass protector than run blocker. Mays was pretty good in the run game, so there's an offset there. Bryce Young will be protected a little better, but Chuba Hubbard and Jonathon Brooks won't have as easy of a time rushing.

Speaking of, the Panthers are also (barring a late signing or a draft choice) relying on Brooks to replace Dowdle as the tandem back with Hubbard. He's coming off a second torn ACL on the same knee suffered in just 13 months.

That kind of thing can be debilitating, so the Panthers may struggle to replace Dowdle, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hubbard and Brooks, assuming he's mostly healthy, is a fine duo, but Dowdle and Hubbard were probably a better pair.

The Panthers used the run game to great effect in some of the Panthers' biggest wins last year, and Dowdle was a big part of that. Now, with he and Mays gone, life may get more challenging for everyone on offense.