Ikem Ekwonu Fantasy Stats

Carolina Panthers left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (illness) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 1 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 24-year-old has spent several weeks recovering from an appendectomy, and it appears he's not quite ready to return yet. His absence from Week 1 isn't necessarily unexpected, as Ekwonu missed two practices this past week and was listed as doubtful entering the weekend. Yosh Nijman and Brady Christensen are the leading candidates to start at left tackle until Ekwonu is ready to return.

Carolina Panthers starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu (appendectomy) is not expected to play in Sunday's season opener against the Jaguars. Ekwonu underwent emergency surgery in late August to remove his ruptured appendix. While a recovery timeline has been up in the air to this point, he was listed as doubtful on Friday's injury report. With a projected Week 1 wide receiver core that returns only one starter from last season, the Panthers' offense as a whole could have benefited from cohesion elsewhere. Sixth-year veteran Yosh Nijman will likely get the start protecting Bryce Young's blindside. Nijman has made 25 career starts, including three in 2024 while filling in for an injured Taylor Moton.

The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu appears to be next up for a contract extension after the team has locked up core players such as Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn to extensions since Dan Morgan took over as general manager in 2024. Carolina already picked up Ekwonu's fifth-year option for 2026 that's worth $17.6 million. The 24-year-old former sixth overall pick in 2022 is the same dominant run blocker that he was at North Carolina State, but he could still stand to improve in pass protection. Pro Football Focus had Ekwonu ranked 126th out of 140 tackles in sacks allowed (seven) last year, even though he gave up four fewer sacks than he did the previous year. He'll enter the 2025 season as the presumed starter at left tackle for the Panthers.

The Carolina Panthers have announced they'll pick up the fifth-year option on offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. He'll now be with the team through the 2026 season and garner a fully guaranteed $17.56 million in his fifth season. Carolina drafted the 24-year-old with the sixth-overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Ekwonu has improved in each campaign since entering the league and was solid for Carolina in 2024, albeit a better run-blocker than he was in pass protection. Still, he's been reliable -- starting 49 of a possible 51 games -- missing just two contests last year with an ankle injury. The North Carolina State product will need to improve against the pass rush in order to eventually gain a lucrative contract, but he's been a fine contributor for the Panthers. He will anchor quarterback Bryce Young's blindside once again in 2025.

The Carolina Panthers signed first-round offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu to a four-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $27.568 million on Tuesday, according to a source. The deal includes a signing bonus of $17.229 million and a fifth-year option. The sixth overall pick is expected to be the team's starting left tackle in his rookie season, but it will be interesting to see if his pass-blocking skills can hold up at the next level for a Panthers team that could have Sam Darnold and rookie Matt Corral competing at the quarterback position. The 21-year-old Ekwonu has good range as a tackle and has a knack for being able to move defenders in the running game. His presence should be good news for running back Christian McCaffrey, if he can stay healthy.

The Carolina Panthers selected North Carolina State offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday night. Many folks probably expected the Panthers to take a quarterback with this pick to compete with Sam Darnold for the starting job this year, but they passed a signal-caller up in order to solidify their offensive line. Ekwonu is a dominant football player that can pull and can run. He's the most dominant run-blocking tackle in this year's class, so running back Christian McCaffrey will certainly be healthy, as will Darnold or whoever will be starting under center for the Panthers in 2022. Ekwonu will be an immediate starter on the Panthers offensive line.

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas is smitten with North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu, according to sources, so the team could take him at No. 4 overall in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night, if he's available. Cornerback Sauce Gardner is another candidate to go with the Jets first pick of the draft. The Jets have bigger needs on the defensive line and in the secondary, so it will be interesting to see if they pass on Ekwonu if he's available. Some talent evaluators rate Gardner as the No. 2 prospect in the draft, and the Jets view him as a true lockdown cornerback. The Jets like pass-rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon and Jermaine Johnson II from Florida State, but fourth overall is too high for them. Either player would be in consideration at No. 10 overall if the Jets hang onto that pick.