Five-year veteran running back Rico Dowdle signed a new contract with the Carolina Panthers. Dowdle, a former undrafted free agent, spent the entirety of his career with the Dallas Cowboys.
Rico Dowdle to sign a 1-year deal with the Panthers, per Mike Kaye.
— NFL NEWS (@fantasynflnews.bsky.social) March 12, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers, Agree to Contract
Dowdle hits the open market following what is easily the best season of his career. After losing Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans, Dowdle became the lead back in Dallas by default. While the team brought in old friend Ezekiel Elliott as competition, Dowdle proved to be the superior option. Appearing in 16 games, the first-year starter finished his breakout season with 1,079 yards and two touchdowns on 235 carries while adding another 39 receptions for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Despite his success, the Cowboys themselves had a rough year and missed the playoffs.
Rico Dowdle originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft. Signing with the Dallas Cowboys, Dowdle earned a spot on the 53-man roster but was buried on the depth chart behind Elliott and Pollard. However, he carved out a role on special teams, returning four kicks for 152 yards, with a long of 64 yards.
Unfortunately, injuries prevented him from seeing the field over the next two seasons. The South Carolina product suffered a season-ending injury in the 2021 preseason and only played five games in 2022 before going down with yet another season-ending ailment. Fortunately, he stayed healthy in 2023, appearing in 16 games as Tony Pollard’s primary backup. In limited work, he recorded 361 yards and two touchdowns on 89 carries. The Cowboys finished with the second seed in the NFC but lost in the Wild Card round to the seventh-seed Green Bay Packers.
Since signing his rookie contract, Rico Dowdle has appeared in 52 games while making 15 starts. While on the field, the South Carolina product has recorded 1,464 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 331 carries.
Main Photo: Kevin Jairaj – USA Today Sports
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