What Ickey Ekwonu said about his fifth-year option with the Panthers

The Panthers have to decide what to do with Ikem Ekwonu.

Oct 13, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu (79) during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Ickey Ekwonu is in his fourth season with the Carolina Panthers. He was a first-round pick, which means his rookie contract will conclude this year unless the Panthers pick up his fifth-year option. It will be worth over $18 million and will have an impact on the cap space the team has to work with.

That's one part of the equation, but the other part is how good Ekwonu has been. He's been pretty up and down throughout his career, and last year was very much down. He's been better if unspectacular in 2024, making this a less than straightforward choice that Ekwonu has largely been ignoring.

Ickey Ekwonu has been ignoring his looming contract situation

Ikem Ekwonu has been keeping his head down in 2024, trying to play his position well and ignoring all external factors. “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 via the Charlotte Observer. “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 shown flashes this year of being a cornerstone, but he's also played poorly at times and hasn't been completely healthy. The Panthers' decision is not easy, but it's an easier one than it was this time a year ago. Ekwonu had a rough 2023, "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.” It remains to be seen if the Panthers fully agree.

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