If the Carolina Panthers lose running back Rico Dowdle to free agency, they could replace him with this 1,000-yard rusher.
The Carolina Panthers shocked everyone by winning the NFC South division title this season, and they even gave the Los Angeles Rams a run for their money in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
Now, the Panthers must head into a critical offseason where they'll have the opportunity to build upon the surprising success they had in 2025.
Perhaps one of the most important decisions for Carolina will be deciding whether or not to re-sign running back Rico Dowdle, who racked up 1,076 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry this season. He also hauled in 39 receptions for 297 yards and a score.
But if the Panthers decide to go in a different direction, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has identified a potential answer in free agency: Najee Harris.
Harris spent the 2025 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers, but played in just three games before suffering a torn Achilles.
Prior to joining the Chargers, however, the 27-year-old had spent the first four years of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and posted over 1,000 rushing yards each season, topping out at 1,200 yards in his rookie campaign back in 2021.
Najee Harris. Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images.Harris is certainly not the most efficient halfback in the world, laying claim to a lifetime average of 3.9 yards per attempt, but he could comprise a very solid backup option to Chuba Hubbard, who kind of lost his job to Dowdle this year.
While re-signing Dowdle may seem like a no-brainer for the Panthers, it's important to note that the former Dallas Cowboys back faded considerably down the stretch, averaging well under four yards per tote in five of his last six games. That included his five-carry, nine-yard effort in Carolina's playoff loss.
Plus, the Panthers signed Hubbard to a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension in November 2024, so it seems pretty unlikely they'll want to pay Dowdle what he wants in free agency.
Carolina was able to nab Dowdle on a one-year, $2.75 million deal last offseason, but the chances of the Panthers getting him on such a pact yet again are very slim.
Plus, Dowdle himself said that his dip in usage down the stretch will absolutely affect his free agency plans, as he wants to be a No. 1 back.
Harris, on the other hand, may be more amenable to a cheap one-year contract as a complementary running back considering the injury he just had.