The Carolina Panthers are quietly approaching a defining offseason. With the 2026 calendar looming, contract timelines are beginning to matter and several roster decisions could shape how this team looks beyond its rebuild phase.
Among the names tied to expiring deals is Rico Dowdle, a player whose role has evolved amid shifting expectations. His situation reflects a broader crossroads for the team, where depth, flexibility and future planning are starting to collide.
As negotiations wait and evaluations continue, they face familiar NFL pressure: deciding who fits the long-term vision and who may be passing through. The answers won’t come all at once, but the groundwork is already being laid.
Carolina Panthers free agents in 2026
As the Panthers transition from their 2025 campaign into the heart of the offseason, a notable portion of the roster now heads toward free agency. Carolina will have around two dozen players with expiring contracts when the league year opens in March, leaving key decisions for management and cap planners.
At the forefront of Carolina’s impending departures is running back Rico Dowdle, fresh off a fruitful season that saw him lead the team in rushing after signing a short-term deal last year. He now enters free agency alongside a host of veterans whose futures are far from decided.
For a Panthers roster that found its stride late in the season, those names represent more than just expiring deals — they’re part of a larger roster puzzle Carolina must piece together before 2026.
| Player | Position | Free agent type |
| D.J. Wonnum | DL | Unrestricted |
| Yosh Nijman | T | Unrestricted |
| Cade Mays | C | Unrestricted |
| Austin Corbett | C | Unrestricted |
| Brady Christensen | G | Unrestricted |
| Rico Dowdle | RB | Unrestricted |
| Christian Rozeboom | LB | Unrestricted |
| Hunter Renfrow | WR | Unrestricted |
| Sam Martin | P | Unrestricted |
| David Moore | WR | Unrestricted |
| J.J. Jansen | LS | Unrestricted |
| Nick Scott | S | Unrestricted |
| Isaiah Simmons | LB | Unrestricted |
| Damarri Mathis | CB | Unrestricted |
| Akayleb Evans | CB | Unrestricted |
| D’Anthony Bell | S | Unrestricted |
| Thomas Incoom | ED | Restricted |
| James Mitchell | TE | Restricted |
| LaBryan Ray | DL | Unrestricted |
| Claudin Cherelus | LB | Restricted |
| Jalen Coker | WR | Exclusive rights |
| Demani Richardson | S | Unrestricted |
| Bryce Tremayne | WR | Exclusive rights |