Rico Dowdle
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle was one of the reasons head coach Dave Canales’ team made the playoffs in 2025.
But the relationship between the ball carrier and the big black cats of North Carolina has been strained for a while. Why? Dowdle wants one thing above all: to be the team’s number one. And he wants to get paid.
However, there’s someone else with a say in the matter: running back Chuba Hubbard.
The Bar Has Been Set
Rico Dowdle is aiming for a big payday in free agency. The Carolina Panthers held what GM Dan Morgan called “positive” talks with the running back after the season, but most fans still expect him to leave the franchise after just one year.
And now, the price to keep Dowdle has just gone up.
Last season, the running back proved to be a high-value signing for the Panthers. On 236 carries, he racked up 1,076 rushing yards and found the end zone six times for six points each. Additionally, he earned a $1 million bonus for accumulating more than 1,350 yards from scrimmage. For comparison, on 134 carries, Hubbard totaled 511 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Still, it looks likely that Dowdle will test the free agency market — and right now, that market has reached a whole new level for running backs.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Dallas Cowboys have re-signed Javonte Williams to a three-year, $24 million deal that includes $16 million guaranteed.
Rico Dowdle Carries a Price Tag the Panthers Probably Won’t Meet
Chuba Hubbard
GettyWith running backs Hubbard and Brooks in the mix, the Panthers may pass on Dowdle.
Here’s why the Panthers are unlikely to pay that price for Dowdle: Chuba Hubbard already signed a $33.2 million four-year contract extension back in November 2024. On top of that, another back is waiting for his return after a serious injury — Jonathan Brooks.
Brooks was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft — the team even traded up to get him. It was a risky move, as he was still recovering from a torn ACL at the time.
He ended up missing half of the 2024 season. After just 12 total touches and a handful of games, it was over again: Brooks tore the same ACL once more.
If Brooks is healthy, the Panthers might have a secret weapon no one remembers, and then there’s Trevor Etienne, whose development is still something to watch — so they might pass on Dowdle.
If the Panthers decide they need more, they could target a free agent who would cost far less than Dowdle, or use another draft pick on a running back for the third straight year. Either way, the chances of the former South Carolina standout landing another deal with the Panthers are slim.
Williams’ extension with the Cowboys sets the benchmark for Dowdle and others. With two productive seasons under his belt, he’ll be looking for a payday to match.
Spotrac currently lists his market value at $6.53 million per season on a two-year, $13.08 million deal. That might be too steep for Carolina, but there should be another team willing to cough up the cash to secure his services.