Rasheed Walker entered free agency as one of the top options, representing a prime-years player with multiple seasons of left tackle experience. The ex-Packers starter is heading to the Panthers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport report.
Carolina lost LT starter Ikem Ekwonu to a torn patellar tendon during their wild-card loss to the Rams. Walker will be poised to open the season as the team’s replacement. This is a one-year deal, likely giving Walker a chance to reset with an aim toward doing better on the 2027 market.
This year’s free agent class, as some tend to be, was light on left tackle talent. Walker appeared poised to follow Dan Moore Jr. in fetching an upper-crust contract as a young LT with significant starter seasoning. Instead, this free agency has followed **Cam Robinson**‘s 2025 path. Robinson ended up settling for a one-year, $12MM Texans deal — one later traded to the Browns. While Walker’s terms are not in, a one-year contract represents a disappointment for a player universally expected to be one of this year’s biggest FA winners.
More to come.