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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Ikem Ekwonu has been one of the Carolina Panthers' most important building blocks up front since the team drafted him sixth overall out of NC State back in 2022. A 6-foot-4, 320-pound tackle credited for being a "scheme-diverse run blocker," he was brought in to protect quarterback Bryce Young's blindside for years to come.
That investment looked like it was finally starting to pay off last season. Ekwonu turned in a solid season at left tackle, playing 100% of the team's offensive snaps and earning a 70.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, good for 36th among qualified NFL tackles.
Then, in Carolina's wild-card loss to the Rams, the Panthers first playoff appearance since 2017, Ekwonu suffered a ruptured patellar tendon, an injury that typically requires months of rehab and immediately put his 2026 season in doubt.
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On Wednesday, as the Panthers opened training camp, general manager Dan Morgan gave the clearest update yet on Ekwonu's recovery, officially placing him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Despite the setback, Morgan noted how there's "definitely some optimism" that Ekwonu will suit up again at some point this season.
No firm return date has been set, but the comments suggest the team views this as a matter of when, not if, he gets back on the field.
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Filling in for Ekwonu will be Rasheed Walker, who will hold down the left tackle spot to start camp. Walker spent the last four seasons with the Packers, and started 16 games at tackle for Green Bay last year.
On the other side of the line will be first-round rookie Monroe Freeling, who will step in at right tackle for Taylor Moton, who has been placed on the non-football illness list after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung.
For a Panthers team trying to build off a strong 2025 season, having a stable offensive line will be crucial. Bryce Young is fighting for a new contract this season, and the team relies heavily on the run game, which will be led by Chuba Hubbard and former second-round pick Jonathon Brooks.
Ekwonu's absence means that Young will once again be working behind a line in flux to open camp, leaning on a mix of veteran replacements and unproven rookie talent. But if Ekwonu can return healthy during the season, as Morgan suggested, this team is primed to compete for the NFC South throne again in 2026.
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