CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Coach Dave Canales said the Carolina Panthers will have to adjust their offseason draft and free agency planning after learning starting left tackle Ickey Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee in the first quarter of Saturday’s 34-31 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The typical recovery time for the injury is six to 12 months, which means the sixth pick of the 2022 draft will miss all the offseason program and potentially all of the 2026 season.
“Timeline wise, all those times vary, but it’s significant,” Canales said on Sunday as the team was cut loose for the offseason following their first playoff appearance since 2017. “It’s going to require surgery. Prayers and thoughts for Ickey.”
Canales was with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016 when tight end Jimmy Graham returned from the same injury in just under nine months. That timeline has been described as “extraordinary” for an injury that has been known to dramatically shorten careers.
Canales said the Panthers (8-10), who haven’t selected an offensive lineman the past two drafts, will have to take Ekwonu’s injury into consideration as they move forward.
They have the 19th pick of the 2026 draft after winning the NFC South to draw a first-place schedule in the upcoming season.
“It is something we have to consider, knowing we’re going to go through a full offseason, what’s the timeline, how does that affect training camp, roster numbers and all of that,” Canales said.
Ekwonu’s rookie deal ran through the 2025 season, but Carolina picked up his fifth-year option. That means he is under contract through the 2026 season with an upcoming cap value of more than $17.5 million fully guaranteed.
But the injury could impact Carolina’s long-term commitment to Ekwonu.
Carolina also has five other linemen that are free agents. They are guard/center Austin Corbett, backup tackle Yosh Nijman, center/guard Cade Mays, backup tackle/guard Brady Christensen and backup lineman Jake Curhan.
“Just a guy that I love, a guy that I really trust out there,” Canales said of Ekwonu. “We’ll all be with him the whole way. We wish him a speedy recovery as he comes back.”
