The Carolina Panthers lost starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu during their 34-31 wild-card playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The team now faces playing all of next season without him.
Ekwonu, 25, left Saturday’s game with an injury after the Panthers’ eighth offensive play. He was hurt on play during which quarterback Bryce Young was sacked. Ekwonu needed help to get off the field and was eventually carted to the locker room. He did not return to the game.
On Sunday, head coach Dave Canales announced that Ekwonu suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee and will require surgery. The projected timeline to recover from such an injury is six to 12 months, which means that Ekwonu will certainly miss offseason workouts and minicamps. But he could also miss part of — if not all — of the 2026 season.
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Ekwonu, the team’s first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft out of NC State, allowed five sacks in 550 pass block snaps this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Protecting Young’s blind side was a key factor in the quarterback’s emergence this season.
Young posted career highs in passing yards (3,011), touchdown passes (23) and completion percentage (63.6%), leading the Panthers to an 8-9 record, NFC South division title and playoff berth. Additionally, running back Rico Dowdle rushed for 1,076 yards.
The Panthers already faced a decision on signing Ekwonu to a contract extension after picking up his fifth-year option for next season. In light of his injury, Carolina will now have to evaluate whether or not to address the offensive line with its first-round selection (No. 19 overall) or free agency plans.
“It certainly is something that we have to consider, just depending on the duration of the injury,” Canales told reporters on Sunday. “Knowing that we’re going to go through a full offseason, and what’s the timeline and how does that affect training camp and roster numbers and all that.”
Canales was on the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff when tight end Jimmy Graham suffered a torn patellar tendon. He took nine months to return from the injury.
Re-signing Yosh Nijman, who replaced Ekwonu in Saturday’s game, will be one of the decisions the Panthers must contemplate. Austin Corbett, Cade Mays, Brady Christensen and Jake Curhan are also unrestricted free agents for Carolina.
