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The Carolina Panthers and running back Rico Dowdle agreed to terms on a 1-year deal with a base salary of $3 million and incentives that could take the earnings up to $6.25 million, according to league sources.
Dowdle, who turns 27 in June, is the No. 5 running back and No. 73 overall on The Athletic’s NFL free agency top 150. An undrafted free agent in 2020, the Dallas Cowboys used him in a very limited capacity behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard his first three years with the team. Between injuries and positional depth, Dowdle just saw seven touches in his first three years with the team before ascending to a backup role in 2023.
With the departure of Pollard in free agency, Dowdle re-signed a one-year deal with Dallas to become the team’s lead running back. He saw a career-high 235 carries for 1,079 yards and two rushing touchdowns, with his 4.6 yards per attempt the highest total by a Cowboys running back with at least 200 carries since Elliott’s 2018 season. Dowdle also showed proficiency in the passing game, catching 39 of 49 targets for 249 yards and three touchdowns.
Dowdle joins a Carolina backfield that featured Chuba Hubbard as the team’s leading rusher in 2024 with 1,195 rushing yards. Second-round draft pick Jonathon Brooks torn his ACL late in the season and is expected to miss significant time in 2025.
This story will be updated.
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