The Carolina Panthers entered free agency needing to address their running back room and took a significant step toward strengthening it by inking Rico Dowdle to a one-year deal.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Dowdle’s new deal is worth $3 million but could increase to $6.5 million with incentives.
Why Was the Signing of Rico Dowdle Important for the Carolina Panthers’ Offense?
Four-year veteran Chuba Hubbard will enter training camp as the Panthers’ unquestioned No. 1 running back. Hubbard enjoyed a breakout season in then rookie head coach Dave Canales’ offensive system, rushing for a career-high 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns and adding a career-best 43 receptions for 171 yards and another score across 15 regular-season games.
Hubbard finished the season on injured reserve with calf and knee injuries, but there has been no indication he’ll miss any portion of offseason activities. However, even if the talented back is at full health as expected, Carolina needed depth behind him on the chart.
Dowdle figures to be Carolina’s second option after the franchise released veteran Miles Sanders earlier in the week and second-year back Jonathon Brooks recovers from a torn ACL. Brooks is expected to miss the majority of the 2025 season.
Panthers now have announced they reached a one-year agreement with former Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle, who is from Asheville and attended the University of South Carolina. Dowdle had a breakout year with the Cowboys last season, rushing for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/umacIhenCd
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2025
According to PFSN’s 2025 free agency rankings, Dowdle ranks 60th in this year’s class. Last season, for the Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle received the first true extended playing time of his four-year career and amassed 1,079 yards on 235 carries. Dowdle’s 4.6 yards per carry also made him one of the more efficient backs in the league.
Here is the complete list of RBs with 200+ carries who picked up 5+ yards on at least 40% of their carries in 2024:
- Bijan Robinson: 44.1%
- Derrick Henry: 42.2%
- Dowdle: 41.7%
- Jahmyr Gibbs: 41.2%
- Bucky Irving: 41.1%
The first two seasons of Dowdle’s career was marred by injuries, but he managed to emerge as the lead back in Dallas’ backfield over former All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott in 2024. The departure of Dowdle is the latest in an offseason that has seen the Cowboys lose defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (Seattle Seahawks), cornerback Jourdan Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) and guard Zack Martin (retirement).
Dowdle has some similar traits to a back Canales enjoyed plenty of success with during his one-year stint as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator in 2023, Rachaad White. Like White, Dowdle is a versatile option out of the backfield and has nearly identical dimensions.
In Dowdle, the Panthers were able to secure running back depth with a local talent of sorts. Dowdle, 26, was born in Asheville, North Carolina and played collegiately at the University of South Carolina. Adding a 1,000-yard rusher on a one-year flyer is a low-risk, potential high-reward move for a Panthers franchise that posted a three-win improvement in 2024.