With notable contract decision looming, Panthers’ Ekwonu is focused on finishing strong
Ikem Ekwonu is focused on Sundays.
The Charlotte native has had an up-and-down three-year tenure with the Carolina Panthers, and he wants to finish strong against the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 18.
But as he enters his fourth NFL offseason, Ekwonu will have a large contract deadline looming over his spring. The Panthers will need to decide whether or not to pick up his fifth-year option — projected to be valued at $18.4 million, per Over the Cap — by early May. And if the option is executed, his 2025 ($4.46 million) and 2026 salaries would both be fully guaranteed.
Still, Ekwonu says he isn’t worried about that decision right now. The Providence Day and N.C. State alum decided this past offseason that he wouldn’t let the contract option distract him from what’s most important: the game.
“That was kind of a goal — I talked to my agent about it like even before the season — I wanted to just really focus on just playing football this year,” Ekwonu said this week. “Honestly, I’m not even really sure how all that contract stuff works.
“So, I just told my agent, ‘Just don’t even bring it up to me.’ So, I haven’t been paying attention to it. I don’t really know how that stuff works — I’m just trying to play the best brand of football I can.”
Ekwonu has been charged with seven sacks and 37 total pressures during his first 14 games this season, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He’s given up four of those sacks in the past three games.
So, Ekwonu wants to close out the season on a positive note.
And despite his recent hiccups, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound blocker thinks he’s improved as a pass protector from his much-maligned 2023 season, which featured 11 charged sacks and 44 total pressures from PFF.
“I definitely think I’ve taken some great strides forward,” Ekwonu said. “Obviously, definitely better than my performance last year. I feel like my technique is cleaner, and I feel I’ve been making overall more positive impact in the passing game.”
The Panthers have invested heavily in their offensive line under first-year general manager Dan Morgan and first-year head coach Dave Canales.
Left guard Damien Lewis received a four-year, $53 million deal in March, while right guard Robert Hunt cashed in with a five-year, $100 million deal in free agency.
In the NFL, it pays to play on the offensive line.
And while Ekwonu might not be thinking about adding a year to his rookie contract, the truth is that he can only help himself and his financial future by continuing to improve.
If Ekwonu can keep quarterback Bryce Young clean against the Falcons, the Panthers’ brain trust can go into the offseason decision-making process with a positive impression.
The Panthers picked up the fifth-year option for cornerback Jaycee Horn this past year, and they’ve used the built-in contract extension on outside linebacker Brian Burns and defensive end Derrick Brown in previous offseasons under different management.
Brown, who was meant to play on his fifth-year option this season, signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension in April. If Ekwonu continues to ascend on the Panthers’ offensive line, he could have a similar boost to his bank account in a couple of years.
