The Carolina Panthers needed to upgrade their running back room at some stage this offseason following the expected release of Miles Sanders. Some fans thought Dan Morgan would go down the draft route, but the general manager threw a curveball with another prominent veteran from the free-agent pool.
In a mildly surprising move, the Panthers signed Rico Dowdle to a one-year deal that could be worth up to $6.25 million with incentives. It's the perfect foil for Chuba Hubbard, giving Carolina a one-two backfield punch alongside quarterback Bryce Young. This move also doesn't diminish the team's faith in second-round pick Jonathon Brooks.
To say Brooks has had bad luck over the last two years would be an understatement. The dynamic weapon came into the 2024 NFL Draft process nursing a torn ACL suffered during his final campaign for the Texas Longhorns. That didn't prevent Morgan from trading up to No. 46 overall last spring to secure his services.
Carolina Panthers signing Rico Dowdle takes the pressure off Jonathon Brooks
The Panthers gave Brooks all the time he needed to recover. It was a gradual, step-by-step process until confidence increased. Unfortunately for the player, he was dealt another cruel blow with the same injury on the same knee in only his third game back against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Signing Dowdle confirms that Brooks will probably miss the entire 2025 campaign. He wouldn't have joined the Panthers if the promise of significant involvement wasn't there. His close connections to the region helped, but the potential role offered was far more important.
Brooks is under no pressure to return quickly. The Panthers cannot afford any more mishaps. If that means taking another year to ensure there are no more complications, so be it. But even that might not be enough to prevent additional damage after two consecutive torn ACLs.
Hubbard now has a new running mate. Dowdle went over 1,000 rushing yards with the Dallas Cowboys last season at 4.6 yards per carry. He's also a pass-catching threat out of the backfield, boasting the elusiveness and vision to make significant inroads in the open field.
This will help enormously. It shouldn't prevent the Panthers from examining a rich crop of draft prospects emerging from the college ranks. However, this will likely be on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft rather than spending more top-end resources on the position.
There is no doubt Dowdle represents an upgrade on Sanders, who never met his lofty billing in Carolina. The Asheville native, A.C. Reynolds High School product, and South Carolina graduate will be relishing the prospect of playing closer to home behind a dominant offensive line. It's a nice change of pace option for the Panthers until Brooks is healthy enough to participate.
Morgan has no time to wait around. The Panthers have a shot to enter NFC South title consideration next season with the right reinforcements. Dowdle doesn't solve every problem, but he gets them closer.
And if he forms a prolific partnership with Hubbard as expected, that's going to benefit Young more than anybody else on Carolina's playing personnel right now.