CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers found a one-year replacement for injured left tackle Ickey Ekwonu on Friday, agreeing to terms with free agent Rasheed Walker from the Green Bay Packers, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The one-year deal is worth $10 million, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been finalized.
The 26-year-old Walker is expected to start this season in place of Ekwonu, the team’s No. 6 overall draft pick in 2022, who is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season after tearing his patellar tendon in Carolina’s wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The 6-foot-6, 324-pound Walker has played in 51 games and started 48 over the past three seasons for the Packers.
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Walker played in one game in 2022 after being drafted in the seventh round out of Penn State. But, he established himself as a valuable part of the Packers’ offensive line beginning in 2023 and has missed just three starts since.
The Panthers were considering signing Ekwonu to a contract extension this offseason, but the injury has put negotiations on hold.
Carolina has already picked up Ekwonu’s fifth-year option, so he is under contract through the 2027 season, meaning they still have time to work out a deal. The Panthers have made it clear they still view Ekwonu, who was raised in Charlotte, as a their long-term option at left tackle and would like to get a long-term deal done at some point.
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