Kassidy Hill

CHARLOTTE When Dan Morgan became general manager of the Carolina Panthers, he made a promise: the team wanted to and would make a concerted effort to take care of their players, the players the club drafted and brought in. Doing so meant they were drafting well and were building a future.

"That's the goal that that's what we want to do around here," Morgan said. "We want to reward the guys that we draft. So, obviously we have to draft well, and hopefully we'll pay those guys and I hope that happens. I hope we're paying players for years to come because that means we're drafting good and that that means we're pinpointing the right guys."

The club made good on that promise last offseason, picking up cornerJaycee Horn's fifth-year option and then extending the Pro Bowl corner this spring, a year after doing the same forDerrick Brown. As that happened,Ikem Ekwonuknew his turn could be coming next.

"It was definitely something I was hopeful for more than anything," Ekwonu admitted Thursday.

The hope was well placed.

The Pantherspicked up the offensive tackle's fifth-year option last Saturday, in the midst of the 2025 NFL Draft, keeping the former first-rounder (No. 6 overall) here through at least the 2025 season, with a larger window in which to work on a long-term deal. That part of the process will be left to Dan Morgan and Ekwonu's agent, but the Charlotte native has made it clear where he wants to be for the foreseeable future.

"I have no timeline, honestly," Ekwonu said of the long-term deal. "I'll let my agent and Dan and everybody kind of figure that out for themselves.

"But I mean, obviously, all parties know, all parties involved know I want to be here in Carolina long term. Hopefully, we can get that done. I'm definitely grateful and excited for this option."

Ekwonu won't turn 25 years old until the end of October and has proven extremely dependable over the last three years. He's started all 49 games in which he's played, only missing two in 2024 due to an ankle injury. He dropped his sacks allowed number from 2023 (11) to 2024 (seven) and allowed only one before his ankle injury. Pro Football Focus graded Ekwonu 11th of 140 tackles in run blocking last season as well.

"I think Ickey showed us he's a dominant run blocker," head coach Dave Canales said earlier this spring. "I think he showed us that he is very reliable in the past in pass protection. I think he'd be the first to tell you, cleaning up some hand placement things, some footwork stuffthose are all goals of his.

"But I think we got our left tackle. I love playing with having Ickey over there and having T-Mo (Taylor Moton) on the right side. I feel pretty good about just playing ball against pretty much anybody."

Ekwonu's fifth-year option is an individual career marker. But the tackle tips his head to the line Morgan put together last season by bringing inRobert HuntandDamien Lewiswhile movingAustin CorbettandCade Maysto center.

"I mean, I feel like it kind of just goes to show the confidence that the front office and everybody has in our group," Ekwonu said. "Obviously, we had a very close bond last year, and I'm just excited to have that bond grow more and more, you know, just having that continuity.

"I feel like it means a lot in offensive line room especially, so definitely excited to have everybody back. Everybody's tuned in, ready to go to these OTAs, so definitely excited."

The Carolinas, particularly the Charlotte area, has always been Ekwonu's home. This is the first major step in making sure he will be here for the long term. While the logistics are still to come, Ickey's message remains the same.

"I want to be here," Ekwonu said. "I want to be part of the glory days in Carolina, and I feel like we're right there on the precipice of it."