By signing Taylor Moton to a two-year, $44 million deal with $40 million guaranteed, the Carolina Panthers' front office doubled down on a philosophy it has been quietly building for two years. General manager Dan Morgan wants the offensive line to be the team’s identity, and the money backs this up.
Moton is now secured through 2027. Robert Hunt (2028) and Damien Lewis (2027) are also already locked in. Carolina has built the kind of trench continuity most NFL teams spend years chasing. In today’s league, where the success of young quarterbacks is almost always tied to protection, this is key.
But there’s one glaring priority left: Paying left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.
Carolina Panthers could save money in the long run by extending Ikem Ekwonu early
Carolina has already picked up Ekwonu’s fifth-year option for 2026 at $17.6 million. That was the easy part. The hard part, and the decision that will ultimately determine whether this front five stays intact, is hammering out a long-term deal before the market makes it painful.
The price of elite left tackles is climbing fast. A year ago, $20 million per season was considered top tier. Now, the market is inching closer to $25 million annually. Joe Person from The Athletic projects an Ekwonu extension would start around $21 million per year, already top-seven money at the position. But wait too long, and a breakout 2025 season could push him into another tier entirely.
Bryce Young was sacked 62 times as a rookie, but that number was nearly cut in half last season after Carolina invested heavily in the interior offensive line. That improvement was no accident; it was the result of a clear commitment to protecting their franchise quarterback. Losing Ekwonu would put that progress at risk and reopen the door to the very problems the Panthers have worked so hard to resolve.
The Moton extension sent a message, but it was only part one. The obvious (and urgent) next move is locking down Ekwonu before the left tackle market forces their hand. “We think a lot of Ickey, I think he's got better every single year,” said Morgan. “I see Ickey as a piece that we want around here for a long time.”
Getting it done now secures stability. And for the first time in decades, Carolina could roll out a fully intact offensive line core under contract for the long haul, built to grow alongside their franchise quarterback.