Rasheed Walker entered free agency as one of the top options, representing a prime-years player with multiple seasons of left tackle experience. The ex-Packers starter is heading to the Panthers, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport report.
Carolina lost LT starter Ikem Ekwonu to a torn patellar tendon during their wild-card loss to the Rams. Walker will be poised to open the season as the team’s replacement. This is a one-year deal, per Pelissero, likely giving Walker a chance to reset with an aim toward doing better on the 2027 market. This contract features a $10MM max value, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets.
This year’s free agent class, as some tend to be, was light on left tackle talent. Walker appeared poised to follow Dan Moore Jr. in fetching an upper-crust contract as a young LT with significant starter seasoning. Instead, this free agency has followed Cam Robinson‘s 2025 path. Robinson ended up settling for a one-year, $12MM Texans deal — one later traded to the Browns. While Walker’s precise terms are not in, a one-year contract represents a disappointment for a player universally expected to be one of this year’s biggest FA winners.
Walker, 26, ranked 11th in pass block win rate last season and 14th in 2024. Pro Football Focus was a bit less bullish due largely to the Penn State product’s run blocking. The advanced metrics site never ranked Walker higher than 40th overall among tackles. Connections to the Browns, Chiefs and Patriots emerged; though, Pats GM Eliot Wolf shot down the New England rumor.
The Packers had hoped David Bakhtiari could reemerge as a consistent starter in 2023, but he lasted just one game. With the former All-Pro quickly out of the picture that season, the Pack plugged in Walker despite having waited until Round 7 to draft him in 2022. He has since started 48 games. The Packers are on track to give the LT keys to 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan, who has been an O-line nomad in Green Bay. Walker beat out the Arizona alum for the 2025 first-string gig, following in Moore’s footsteps by holding off a first-round challenger (as Moore did with Broderick Jones in Pittsburgh).
Despite trouble in pass protection with the Steelers, Moore received a four-year deal worth $82MM ($42.51MM guaranteed at signing). It appears teams had reservations about Walker. Considering LT being a premium position and a 48-game starter being available at 26, this represents perhaps the biggest value surprise on the 2026 market. But Walker will work toward making a better impression on teams soon. Ekwonu’s injury should provide a runway to do so.
Drafted in the 2022 first round, Ekwonu has stopped a decade-long Panthers LT carousel. A locked-in starter throughout his career, Ekwonu looked to be moving toward an extension. But the Panthers may wait now; the former No. 6 overall pick is almost certainly ticketed for the reserve/PUP list to open next season. As a three-year starter who was expected to do much better on this year’s market, Walker represents a high-end insurance option. It will be interesting to learn Ekwonu’s timetable. The Bears have a similar situation, with Ozzy Trapilo suffering a patellar tendon tear in the wild-card round, but they opted to bring back Braxton Jones on a one-year, $5MM deal.
He is “ok”. Which for a 7th rounder is a great outcome. But GB fans won’t be sad to see him leave. I hope that one year deal is north of 20m. Bring on that 3rd round comp pick.
Not so fast…$10M
Oof. Looks like his shaky play down the stretch cost him and us. Dangit Sheed.
Probably like 10-12 million 1 year deal, but I’m happy even if it’s more. Just goes to show that a competent front office can build a team and will spend the money
don’t understand. A mediocre left tackle should be worth upwards of $30MM in this Monopoly Money free agent market.
To only get a third of that, on a one year deal, is bizarre.
His agent probably significantly overplayed his hand, teams all spent their money, and then he had to settle for this when the dust settled and he was still unsigned.
Assuming that’s the case and a decent left tackle in his prime had to take this deal, he should be firing his agent before the ink dries on that contract.
Teams probably want to see him perform outside of Green Bay before committing anything major, just like Rico last year