Rico Dowdle reveals free agency plans amid diminished role with Panthers

Rico Dowdle will be an unrestricted free agent in March. The Panthers tailback projects as one of the better veteran running back options on the market, if he decides to leave Carolina.

Around midseason, it looked clear that the Panthers would be open to bringing back Dowdle and the 27-year-old would seek a return. At the time, Dowdle was putting up video game numbers with Chuba Hubbard sidelined.

But as Hubbard returned from injury and the season wore on, Dowdle’s touches and effectiveness decreased. It culminated with Saturday’s NFC Wild Card Round defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, in which Dowdle saw just six total touches to Hubbard’s 15. Dowdle admitted the drop in playing time will play a role in what he opts to do as a free agent.

Panthers RB Rico Dowdle on how his decreased reps down the stretch (5 carries on Saturday) will impact his decision on whether to return to Carolina or sign somewhere else as a free agent. pic.twitter.com/D4LAlgG23B

— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) January 11, 2026

“For sure. You definitely gotta take all that into account, for sure,” Dowdle told Steve Reed of The Associated Press. “It is what it is. I can only control what I can control and go from there, but that definitely plays a factor in it.”

Rico Dowdle could have a new home in 2026

Dowdle finished with the 2025 season, his first with the Panthers, with 1,076 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry. He set a career-high with 297 receiving yards.

Dowdle saw 20 or more carries three times. In each of those contests, he rushed for well over 100 yards. He rushed for 206 yards in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins and the following week, went for a 183 rushing yards versus the Dallas Cowboys.

“Just wanna be a guy that can go out there and just get the boat and try to let it run,” Dowdle said. “I think my game shows the more I get throughout the game, the stronger, better I get. Just want to take that into consideration.”

The Panthers already have significant money invested in Hubbard, who is a full year younger than Dowdle. Hubbard stayed healthy in 2024 and rushed for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry. Carolina rewarded him with a four-year, $33.2 million extension. The Panthers signed Dowdle to a one-year, $2.75 million deal this past offseason.

After a second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign, Dowdle won’t come cheap. Teams in search of a reliable option will show interest; it remains to be seen what Carolina will do.