The Carolina Panthers want to see what Austin Ekeler has left in the tank.
The veteran running back had his 2025 season ended in Week 2 when he tore his Achilles. It’s an injury that also kept him unsigned through the offseason, meaning he was still a free agent this week when the Panthers lost Jonathon Brooks to a core muscle injury that put him on IR.
Ekeler hasn’t signed anything yet, but he’s coming to Carolina for a workout on Wednesday. That gives the Panthers a chance to see what he still might be capable of.
The Panthers also get an opportunity to put together a plan. If they sign Ekeler, what would that actually look like?
It actually sounds like one timeline in particular could make perfect sense.
Panthers’ Plan for Austin Ekeler
ESPN’s Mike Kaye shared an idea on X on Wednesday morning: Ekeler to be signed to the practice squad and elevated the allowed amount of times.
A player on the practice squad can be elevated to the gameday roster three times in a season before needing to sign an active roster contract.
The Panthers currently have RB Trevor Etienne on IR, as well, but he’d be eligible to return beginning with Week 5.
So if Ekeler is signed to the practice squad, he could then be elevated in Week 3 and Week 4 while the Panthers are particularly shorthanded. If they still need him in Week 5, he could have that third elevation used then.
By that point, the Panthers would know if Ekeler is worth keeping around for the long haul or not. And they’ll also have a better read on Etienne’s health, and the health of the rest of their backfield.
It’s a logical plan, and one that makes it seem like it would be very logical for the Panthers to indeed complete their negotiations with Ekeler on Wednesday as long as he looks fine working out.
Austin Ekeler Details
Ekeler is originally an undrafted player out of Western State in Colorado.
He grew into a star with the Chargers for his dual-purpose ability as a running back, making his mark early in his career as a pass catcher more than anything else. He eventually showed he could run between the tackles, too, as well as finish drives near the goal line with big leaps.
He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Chargers, then played 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Washington Commanders.
Ekeler is 31 now, and his last mostly healthy season was with Washington in 2024, when he had 77 runs for 367 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and 35 catches for 366 yards.
In his career, Ekeler has appeared in 117 NFL games and has 1,081 runs for 4,765 yards and 43 touchdowns while catching 480 passes for 4,288 yards and another 30 TDs.
He may get the chance to add to those numbers with the Panthers.
Panthers’ Specific Plan for Austin Ekeler Revealed