Panthers to work out veteran RB Austin Ekeler with Brooks sidelined by surgery
Carolina is kicking the tires on the free-agent running back as a fill-in while lead back Jonathon Brooks is on IR recovering from core muscle surgery
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The Panthers are scouting a proven veteran running back to cushion the loss of Jonathon Brooks. Austin Ekeler will work out for Carolina on Wednesday, per a report confirmed by multiple outlets, as the club looks to fill out a backfield missing its lead back.
Brooks is expected to miss more than a month after having core muscle surgery, leaving Chuba Hubbard and AJ Dillon as the other backs on the 53-man roster. Ekeler has been a free agent since tearing his Achilles with the Commanders last September, but he was a dual threat at his peak with the Chargers — piling up 3,195 scrimmage yards and 38 touchdowns across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
If the workout goes well, Ekeler would give Carolina a veteran pass-catching option out of the backfield while Brooks recovers, a low-risk addition that shores up the position without committing the team to anything long-term.