CHARLOTTE — No matter the contract, no matter the situation, Rasheed Walker is grateful to be with the Panthers.
And he told reporters Thursday that regardless any situation that unfolded during free agency, he's confident he's going to make an impact here.
"I feel like wherever I landed, they were getting a steal anyway because what I bring to a team is, I bring intensity," Walker said. "I'm a great teammate. I work hard, and I go hard for my teammates.
"I feel like, by the grace of god, I landed in Carolina. I feel like it's going to be a great fit and I'm just ready to do my job."
How much they need him to do and for how long remains unclear.
He's here as insurance considering the torn patellar tendon suffered by left tackle Ikem Ekwonu in the playoff loss to the Rams, since there is no timetable for his potential return. But when they open the offseason program, Walker gives them a proven starter at an important position.
So the Panthers felt fortunate that a player with his experience was available on a one-year deal a week into free agency.
Walker, a former seventh-round pick out of Penn State, started the last three seasons at left tackle for the Packers, giving Carolina a high-level player regardless of Ekwonu's condition.
Walker said he talked to Ekwonu after signing, just to get background on the team and the city. He's been a fan of the Panthers' incumbent left tackle since they were in the same draft class, when he Ekwonu's tape got his attention.
"He had one of the nastiest highlights I've ever seen as an offensive lineman," Walker said.
Now, it's on Walker to step in, as long as Ekwonu's recovering. He said in their conversations, Ekwonu is in good spirits, but no one has a firm timetable for his recovery, so trying to gauge it at this point is moot.
"I mean, at the end of the day, my good friend Ickey is down," Wheeler said. "But you know, someone has to do the job, and I think I'm a very good football player and I think I'm going to help this team get better."
Walker said he was familiar with the rest of the offensive line, specifically veteran right tackle Taylor Moton. And he remembers the highlights of Robert Hunt the pass-catcher from his Miami days, but he's mostly easy to get back to Charlotte to "break bread" with his new teammates and get to work.
"I'm looking forward to meeting those guys," Walker said. "But I'm just ready to get in and start building the program, building the franchise up. Like three out of the four seasons I was at Green Bay, we went to the playoffs.
"So, I think I know what it takes to make it to the playoffs and win in the playoffs. And, with the group of guys that we have and what the team is building, I feel like we have a shot."
In addition to talking to Ekwonu, Walker said quarterback Bryce Young reached out to greet him.
"Bryce Young, he's a great player," Walker said. "He texted me when I signed, he said, 'Hey, what's up,' and he showed some love. I've been watching some of his highlights. He's just a good player, great athlete. I love when my quarterback is an athlete, that's always good.
"I'm going to protect him. I'm going to do my job and protect him."
Like a number of the free agents they've acquired this offseason, Walker said there was something happening here that attracted him to the opportunity, saying it felt like a "home environment."
"I just saw the opportunity," he said. "And I like where the program was headed, and I just wanted to be a part of it. So that's why I chose Carolina."
See the former Green Bay Packer in action.
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy (99) battles against Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) during a preseason NFL football game, Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) lines up during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sep. 17, 2023, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Falcons won 25-24. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) lines up during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sep. 17, 2023, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Falcons won 25-24. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
Green Bay Packers tackle Rasheed Walker (63) plays against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of a preseason NFL football game Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) plays in an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) in action during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) in action during during the first quarter of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker)
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) blocks Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) during an NFL Divisional Round playoff game on Saturday, January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks during an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Santa Clara. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker)
Green Bay Packers tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker prepares for a snap against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks against Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) during pregame of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks against Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks during an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) blocks Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) during an NFL football game in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Rasheed Walker (63) lines up during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
