Feb. 23, 2026, 9:31 a.m. ET
The Carolina Panthers may run it back with their running backs. But there could be a catch.
According to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Panthers are interested in a return for soon-to-be-free agent Rico Dowdle. Person, who previewed Carolina’s outlook ahead of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Monday, wrote the following:
Dowdle failed to land a multiyear deal in free agency last year, but should find it this year after his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. The Panthers have interest in bringing back Dowdle at the right price, although Dowdle said he wants to go to a team where he’ll get the bulk of the carries after sharing the backfield with Chuba Hubbard last season.
Dowdle, who signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last spring, took over as the team’s starting running back for the majority of their 2025 campaign. The 27-year-old Gaffney, S.C. rushed for 1,076 yards and a career-high six touchdowns on 236 carries.
As Person notes, Dowdle is seeking a featured role for 2026—an intention he made clear following Carolina’s wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams in January . . .
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Person also suggests that the impending return of 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks and the presence of 2025 fourth-rounder Trevor Etienne will factor into the Panthers’ decision on Dowdle.
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