CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle said Sunday that his decreased carries late in the season will impact his decision on whether to return to the reigning NFC South champions.
Dowdle signed a one-year deal worth up to $6.25 million in March after topping 1,000 yards rushing in 2024 with the Dallas Cowboys. He had 1,076 rushing yards this season, but only 9 on five carries in Saturday’s 34-31 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
He averaged only 8.25 carries in his last four games after averaging 20 in the previous seven, topped by 30 in an Oct. 12 win against the Cowboys when Chuba Hubbard was injured.
When asked Sunday whether the decrease in reps impacted his free agency plans, Dowdle noted that his game gets better the more carries he gets.
“That definitely is a factor,” he said. “There’s options for me. I just want to be a guy who can go out there and just get the bulk [of the carries].”
Getting the bulk of the carries doesn’t appear likely at Carolina (8-10) with Hubbard signed through the 2028 season after getting a four-year, $33.2 million extension in November 2024 and Jonathon Brooks, a 2024 second-round pick, set to return from ACL surgery in 2026.
The Panthers also have 2025 fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne.
Coach Dave Canales was noncommittal when asked about Dowdle, one of 19 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.
“These are all things we’re going to have to talk about over the next couple of days,” he said. “We have to evaluate all the guys that our contracts are up [with] and see what our next, best move is.”
Asked if he wanted to return to the Panthers, who play about two hours south of where he grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, Dowdle said, “I don’t really know right now. I really don’t have an answer for that question. I just want to see how things go.”
Dowdle, 27, was the backup to Hubbard through the first four games, averaging seven carries.
When Hubbard missed consecutive starts with a calf injury, Dowdle was featured with 23 carries for 206 yards rushing in a win against Miami and then the 30 carries for 183 yards against Dallas.
He had 473 scrimmage yards, a two-game record for Carolina, during that stretch.
Canales split the carries between Hubbard and Dowdle over the next two games, but after the running game struggled he went back to Dowdle as the featured back. He responded with 23 carries for 130 yards in an upset of the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Since then, Dowdle’s reps steadily decreased, though he eventually cashed in on a $1 million bonus for reaching 1,350 scrimmage yards and another $250,000 for getting six touchdowns.
Dowdle hasn’t celebrated those accomplishments yet.
“I’ve got more out there that I need to do to improve,” he said. “And then I’ll celebrate after that.”
