Panthers taking their time deciding on LT Ikem Ekwonu's 5th-year option
The Carolina Panthers aren't in a hurry to make the obvious decision on starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu.
May 2 will be the final day where teams can officially exercise the fifth-year options on their 2022 first-rounds picks. And when it comes to Ekwonu's future, the Panthers feel like they don't have to get that paperwork in right away.
"We're just taking our time with that," president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan said on Tuesday. "There's no rush. We still have, I think it's May 2nd. So we're not rushing that. We're taking our time, and we'll have a plan in place."
Carolina selected Ekwonu, a Matthews, N.C. native and North Carolina State University standout, with the sixth overall pick in 2022. In the three seasons since, he's started each of his 49 games for the team on their blindside.
2024 marked Ekwonu's best pro campaign, at least according to Pro Football Focus. The 24-year-old earned career-highs in his overall offensive grade (71.7) and his run-blocking grade (80.5) while posting a 95.9-percent efficiency rate in pass protection.
Given Ekwonu's performance and the value of the left tackle position, the Panthers should be expected to trigger that fifth-year option in the coming weeks.
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