If the Carolina Panthers want to get over the hump and secure their place in the playoffs by winning the NFC South, they'll be heavily reliant on their running back tandem of Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard to lead the charge. But what comes after that is less specific.
Dowdle has proven to be a shrewd move by Carolina's front office. He signed a one-year, bargain basement deal in free agency. The former South Carolina standout came into the club with a massive chip on his shoulder after being let go by the Dallas Cowboys despite going over 1,000 rushing yards. After another standout campaign, he'll be looking for a bigger payday this time around.
Whether that'll be in Carolina or elsewhere remains to be seen. The Panthers have a lot of money tied up in Hubbard. They spent a fourth-round pick on Trevor Etienne. There is also 2024 second-round selection Jonathon Brooks' pending return to consider, so general manager Dan Morgan might not give Dowdle the money he's looking for.
Broncos urged to target Rico Dowdle if Carolina Panthers let him walk
If Dowdle tests the market, there should be plenty of interest in his services. Travis Wakeman of Sporting News thought the Denver Broncos made a ton of sense, potentially making him the missing piece in an offense already boasting outstanding playmakers.
"The Broncos were mentioned as a potential landing spot for Rico Dowdle this past offseason, but he left the Dallas Cowboys to sign with the Carolina Panthers. Dowdle signed a one-year deal with the Panthers this season, meaning he is set to hit free agency again unless the Panthers extend him. He would be a solid fit for the Broncos as a tough, between-the-tackles runner, especially if the Broncos don't bring J.K. Dobbins back next year. However, Dowdle was born in South Carolina and went to school there, so he would likely prefer to remain with the Panthers."Travis Wakeman
Much will depend on how they view Dowdle and whether the money works for all parties. Giving him an extension cannot be dismissed entirely, but there will be more than a few teams around the league keeping an eye on developments. And if the Broncos did come calling, this would be a tricky proposition to turn down.
That's for the future. For now, Dowdle's focus is firmly on helping the Panthers win their next two games. That will clinch the NFC South title and a postseason berth for the first time since 2017. Everything after that is out of his hands for now, so it'll be interesting to see what happens when the time comes.
But make no mistake: a strong end to the campaign will only attract more suitors for Dowdle if the Panthers opt to let him walk.