The Carolina Panthers' run to the NFC South division crown in 2025 was as much about Rico Dowdle giving the ground game some consistency as it was Bryce Young taking a step forward. The former Dallas Cowboys castoff had the finest season of his career under Dave Canales.
In an exclusive interview with FanSided, Young gave a very strong endorsement to his starting running back, attesting to what Dowdle brings to the table as both a churner between the tackles and as a playmaker in the passing game. He sounds like someone who wants No. 5 back as free agency looms.
"It makes my job so much easier knowing we have that threat back there," Young said of the former undrafted free agent. "[He is] someone that can turn a checkdown that might go for one or go for two into an explosive...having my wingman out there doing that, it makes my job way easier."
Panthers QB Bryce Young hypes Rico Dowdle as free agency looms
Dowdle was signed after a 1,000-yard season with the Dallas Cowboys, but he was brought in to back up Chuba Hubbard. When Hubbard started to falter, Dowdle was able to seize hold of their starting job and did not relinquish that role.
Dowdle once again topped 1,000 yards on the ground, finding the end zone seven times and reeling off his second conseuctive season with 1,300 yards from scrimmage. Dowdle went from a bit of a gamble to one of Carolina's top offseason priorities after their surprising surge to the postseason.
Even though this free agent class is fairly strong as far as running backs are concerned, it seems unlikely that the Panthers will likely hold on to Hubbard for 2026 and pay a new starter a contract that exceeds whatever they would hand out to Dowdle.
The Panthers will need to fend off some serious competition for Dowdle's services in the next few months, but considering that Young seems to be all aboard the hype train, it seems more likely than not that he will be back in Carolina blue at some point in the near future.