There is no doubt that the Carolina Panthers got some bang for their buck with running back Rico Dowdle. However, it's starting to look like his relationship with the franchise was a one-and-done deal.
Dowdle caught fire earlier in the season, earning a more substantial role. That changed down the stretch, and his influence was almost non-existent in Carolina's playoff defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. This left the dual-threat weapon perplexed, adding that he would take it into consideration before deciding his future in free agency.
Of course, the Panthers could take that out of his hands. Significantly reducing his involvement with everything on the line spoke volumes. Bitterness overtook positivity, which typically only ends one way.
Carolina Panthers' silence on Rico Dowdle's future spoke volumes
General manager Dan Morgan wasn't giving too much away during his end-of-season media availability. The front-office leader said he'd spoken with Dowdle, and they left it on good terms. However, it's also clear that both sides had a lot of thinking to do before something gets confirmed one way or another.
"I met with him. I had a really good conversation with him in my office upstairs. I meet with all the players before they leave for the offseason. He didn't give me any indication of that. I thought we left on a good note. We'll see where it goes from here. In terms of Rico, re-signing him, I think it's still early in the season. I think you let those guys take a break, just kind of assess if this is the right fit for them, and we'll do the same thing upstairs, we'll talk about a plan of action, and then we'll go from there."Dan Morgan via Panthers.com
The plan of action is unlikely to include Dowdle. Morgan wasn't shy about picking up quarterback Bryce Young's fifth-year option. He also made his intentions clear about getting something worked out with ascending wide receiver Jalen Coker. Less was said about the former South Carolina standout's future, but it's not hard to read between the lines.
Dowdle probably wants a prominent role and more money. The Panthers already have Chuba Hubbard under contract. With 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks aiming to be back for OTAs, he's also going to play a significant role if there are no more problems on the injury front.
This was a mutually beneficial agreement, albeit for one year. It gave the Panthers a fill-in for Brooks and solid production on the cheap. It also provided Dowdle with the chance to boost his stock before embarking on another free agency this spring.
That's all this is. It's nothing personal; just business. And there is no point in either side getting their feelings about what looks to be an inevitable outcome.