Proposed Rico Dowdle contract makes little sense for Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers signed Rico Dowdle to be their bridge backup with Jonathon Brooks out. They then drafted Trevor Etienne to essentially be the return man and potential backup if Brooks never rebounded from his second ACL tear.

This was all supposed to be behind Chuba Hubbard on the depth chart, but Dowdle has outplayed him. He's become the best back on the roster, and sometimes, it looks like it's not close. Dowdle is a free agent, though.

And as good as he's been, he's likely the odd man out, and a projected contract for the running back makes little sense for the Panthers.

Rico Dowdle extension would not be smart move for Panthers

Rico Dowdle was signed to a one-year deal to back up Chuba Hubbard. No one expected him to be 12th in the NFL in rushing yards heading into the finale next week.

Still, I find it really difficult to envision him being extended. He's clearly the better back right now, but the Panthers love Hubbard. They also have Trevor Etienne and Jonathon Brooks under contract. They don't need four running backs.

Bleacher Report's Alex Kay projected a three-year, $22 million deal for Dowdle. While that's a good deal for a good running back, it makes very little sense for the Panthers.

"It wouldn't be a shock if the Panthers opt to re-up with Dowdle on a long-term deal after he played a significant role in the team's ascendancy to potential playoff contender," Kay argued.

"Retaining Dowdle on a market value contract should be a top priority for Carolina, who jumped from the No. 18 rushing offense all the way up to No. 11 this year and could easily become a top-10 unit with Dowdle leading the way in 2026," he continued.

That's all well and good, but it's not ideal for the team moving forward. If they did sign Dowdle to this deal, they'd have four running backs on the roster. They'd also have over $19 million tied up by running back salaries.

That's not terrible, but it's not ideal for a team still trying to rebuild. That $7.3 million salary given to Dowdle would probably be a luxury when the Panthers need to invest in edge, linebacker, safety, and tight end.

Put simply, the Panthers have too many holes to load up at one spot they're pretty well-stocked in. Now, if they could trade Hubbard and extend Dowdle, that'd be ideal. But the Panthers seem to love Hubbard and probably think he can get back to 2024 form, so that's not happening.

That unfortunately leaves Dowdle out. The Panthers should be interested in keeping him, but at the cost and with the roster construction, it's hard to see it working out.

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