Reporter says there’s a chance that key Panthers starter misses entire 2026 season

The Carolina Panthers‘ blindside is going to look a lot different this upcoming season. But for how long?

Well, that depends on the recovery of starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who sustained a ruptured patellar tendon during the team’s wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams back in January. While the Panthers—mainly general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales—have expressed optimism about Ekwonu’s outlook, the severity of his setback makes him no sure thing for 2026.

Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer expressed that sentiment in a new piece from Thursday, where he broke down the team’s most noteworthy injuries heading into this summer’s training camp. He wrote the following on Ekwonu:

There stands a chance that Ekwonu misses the entire 2026 season, and even if he returns during the campaign, he might not be able to play up to his standard until next year. So, [Monroe] Freeling and free-agent addition Rasheed Walker, a longtime Green Bay Packers starter, will battle for the starting left tackle job in camp. Walker got the bulk of the blindside duties with the first team during the offseason program.

There stands a chance that Ekwonu misses the entire 2026 season, and even if he returns during the campaign, he might not be able to play up to his standard until next year. So, [Monroe] Freeling and free-agent addition Rasheed Walker, a longtime Green Bay Packers starter, will battle for the starting left tackle job in camp. Walker got the bulk of the blindside duties with the first team during the offseason program.

As Kaye notes, Carolina made two relatively high-profile adds at the position this offseason—signing Walker to a one-year deal and using the 19th overall pick on Freeling. One of the two, barring another injury, will be starting in place of Ekwonu come Week 1.

But again, whether or not Ekwonu plays at all in 2026 remains in question. Canales, as he told reporters during mandatory minicamp last month, seems to think the former first-round pick will return.

“We expect him back at some point in the season,” Canales stated. “He’s crushing it, week in and week out. He’s excited about it. The athletic trainers are excited about his progress right now. They’re just continuing to progress him with different types of movement—forward movement, a little bit of lateral movement and just continuing to see how they can push the envelope a little bit, but in a smart way.”

Until that progress is achieved, the Panthers might have to operate as if they won’t have Ekwonu in uniform for their NFC South title defense.

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