Panthers Hope To Sign Taylor Moton To Extension
The Saints and Ryan Ramczyk reset the market for right tackles earlier today, and that could pave the way for Taylor Moton‘s extension in Carolina. According to Joseph Person of The Athletic (via Twitter), the Panthers are hoping to complete a long-term deal with Moton before the July 15 deadline.
The team slapped Moton with the franchise tag earlier this offseason, but it was believed the team was eyeing a long-term deal for the former second-round pick. The 27-year-old has started 48 straight games at right tackle for the Panthers, with Pro Football Focus grading Moton as a top-20 tackle in each of those three campaigns. That included a 2020 season where the lineman ranked as a top-five right tackle.
Ramczyk’s new deal with New Orleans could certainly provide a basis for a Moton extension. Ramczyk inked a five-year, $96MM deal that included $60MM in guarantees. Ramczyk’s $19.2MM AAV makes him the NFL’s highest-paid right tackle, eclipsing a mark that was previously held by Eagles lineman Lane Johnson. Ramczyk’s $60MM guarantee also surpasses Johnson’s ($55MM), with the two players earning the distinction of being the only right tackles with guarantees surpassing $35MM. For comparison’s sake, Moton will earn around $13.7MM this upcoming season under the franchise tag.
The Panthers aren’t the only team looking to extend their right tackle. We learned earlier today that the Colts were working with Braden Smith on a long-term deal.
NFL Suspends Panthers WR Ventell Bryant
Panthers wide receiver Ventell Bryant will not be available to start the season. The NFL handed the young pass catcher/special-teamer a two-game suspension, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets.
This falls under the league’s substance-abuse policy. Bryant was arrested for DUI in March 2020, but the 24-year-old receiver reached a plea deal to bring the charge down to reckless driving earlier this year, Greg Auman of The Athletic notes (via Twitter).
One of several Temple players on ex-Owls head coach Matt Rhule‘s Panthers roster, Bryant signed a reserve/futures contract with Carolina in January. His only game action has come for the 2019 Cowboys, who used him as a special-teamer in 12 games. Bryant broke into the league as a Bengals UDFA in 2019.
The 25-year-old receiver is not a threat to see much time as a receiver with the Panthers, who have Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore and second-round pick Terrace Marshall at the position. Bryant retains practice squad eligibility, however. He joins Anderson, Haason Reddick, wideout Keith Kirkwood and four other current Panthers Rhule coached while at Temple.
Panthers Sign Brady Christensen
The Panthers have signed third-round offensive lineman Brady Christensen, per a club announcement. As the No. 70 overall pick, the BYU product will make $5.16MM on his four-year deal, including a signing bonus of $1.12MM. 
Scouts Inc. assigned a seventh-round grade to Christensen, whose stature and lack of lateral quickness might point him to the interior, rather than the outside. However, the Panthers were (and are) extremely bullish on him during the draft. Initially, the Panthers planned to take Christensen with the No. 60 overall pick. Then, they got word of the Saints’ interest in wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. Fortunately for them, Christensen was still there at No. 70, even after they took Marshall 60th.
Christensen, 25 in September, spent three seasons with the Cougars, blocking for No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson. It remains to be seen how the Panthers will use him this year, but it sounds like Cam Erving, Greg Little, and Dennis Daley will vie for the left tackle job. That may leave Christensen to fight for time at right tackle or one of the two guard spots.
With Christensen in the fold, third-round tight end Tommy Tremble stands as the Panthers’ last straggler.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Kawann Short
He was one of the NFL’s premier defensive tackles across multiple seasons. Now, he stands as one of the very best free agents left on the board. We haven’t heard much about Kawann Short since he was released in February, but the former Panthers star shouldn’t have too much trouble finding his next employer.
Short said “a few teams” reached out over the winter, mostly with interest in one-year deals due to his recent shoulder injuries. That’s a clear red flag, but suitors might feel better knowing that the Panthers have left the door open to a reunion. New GM Scott Fitterer told Short that’d he’d be willing to talk about a new deal — something less than his previous five-year, $80MM pact.
Short, 32, has played in just five games over the past two seasons. He’s torn both of his rotator cuffs in that span, preventing him from doing his usual fine work. Before all of that, Short was a key pillar of the Panthers’ defense. His first nod came in 2015 when he registered eleven sacks. In 2017, he turned in a 7.5-sack season. And, just two years ago, he earned his second Pro Bowl nod.
The veteran won’t match his previous $16MM AAV, but plenty of teams should be willing to put a deal on the table. For starters, there’s the Buffalo—Carolina pipeline; Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott would love to add him to the Bills’ already stacked interior. Alternatively, if former foe Dan Quinn wants to add Short to his defense, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would surely break out the checkbook. The Seahawks also have a knack for signing big-name vets and a healthy Short would ease the sting of losing Jarran Reed. Though it’s hard to bank on Short’s health and availability, he’d be one heck of a summer addition on a one-year, ~$2MM deal.
Panthers Offered Lions Exec Job
- Although the Lions hired a new GM (Brad Holmes), several Bob Quinn-era staffers will remain going forward. Holmes will keep Lance Newmark (player personnel director), Dave Sears (college scouting director) and Rob Lohman (pro scouting director) on staff, with select other scouts from Quinn’s regime remaining in place, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes. Newmark turned down an offer to join Scott Fitterer‘s Panthers front office, per Birkett. Both Newmark, who has been with the Lions for nearly 25 years, and Lohman, who joined the Lions in 2007, interviewed for the Lions’ GM job that went to Holmes.
- Holmes did hire some new personnel. Former Panthers and Texans exec Mike Martin will join the Lions as director of scouting advancement, while ex-Miami Hurricanes football ops director Don Corzine is now in Detroit as a senior advisor. These two join John Dorsey and assistant GM Ray Agnew as key new arrivals under Holmes.
Cam Erving To Compete For Panthers’ LT Job
When the Panthers signed OL Cameron Erving in free agency, Erving’s ability to line up at any position on the O-line was cited as one of his best assets. At the time of the signing, Joseph Person of The Athletic suggested that Erving would have a chance to compete for Carolina’s starting LT job, and now that the team’s summer roster is mostly set, Person confirms that Erving is very much in the mix to be Sam Darnold‘s blindside protector.
As Panthers fans know all too well, the team’s left tackle post has been a revolving door for nearly a decade. Whoever wins the job will be Carolina’s ninth LT in as many years, and at first blush, Erving doesn’t look like the long-term solution the Panthers have been seeking. The Browns drafted the Florida State product in the first round of the 2015 draft, but the fact that the Browns flipped him to the Chiefs for a fifth-round pick before his third pro season tells you all you need to know about his tenure in Cleveland.
He ultimately played three seasons in Kansas City, starting 25 games over that span and lining up at left tackle and both guard positions. His play was not good enough to convince the Chiefs to pick up his 2020 option, and he hooked on with the Cowboys last May. Due to multiple knee injuries, he played in just six games (five starts) for Dallas.
As Person notes, Erving missed most of the Panthers’ OTAs and minicamp due to an unspecified injury, though he is expected to be ready to go for the start of training camp. Trenton Scott, who played four games at LT for the Panthers last season, remains in the mix for the starting job in 2021, but he is dealing with an undisclosed injury of his own.
2019 draftees Greg Little and Dennis Daley are also in the running, but Person does not mention third-round rookie Brady Christensen as an LT candidate. Carolina brass was very high on Christensen and targeted him with the No. 60 overall selection before the team got word of the Saints’ interest in WR Terrace Marshall Jr. The Panthers nabbed Marshall at No. 60 and ultimately traded up to land Christensen with the No. 70 overall pick.
However, Scouts Inc. actually had a seventh-round grade on Christensen, and his stature and lack of lateral quickness might make him a better fit at guard at the professional level. At least initially, it seems that the Panthers plan to deploy him on the interior.
This Date In Transactions History: Panthers Sign Steve Smith To Rookie Deal
If Pro Football Rumors existed in 2001, we probably would have tucked the signing of a third-round receiver into one of our roundup posts. Fast forward 20 years, and that third-rounder is now considered one of the best wide receivers of the 2000s. On June 19th, 2001, the Panthers signed rookie wideout Steve Smith to his rookie contract.
Smith’s draft stock wasn’t necessarily due to a lack of talent. Rather, teams and scouts had limited (proverbial) tape on the receiver. Smith spent his first two years of college at Santa Monica College, a community college in California. He eventually got an offer to play for the University of Utah, and he proceeded to earn a pair of conference all-star nods during his two seasons in the Mountain West Conference.
However, with only a pair of Division I seasons under his belt (and with a nagging injury toward the end of his senior year), Smith ended up being the 11th wide receiver off the board during the 2001 draft. After going defense with their first two selections, the Panthers chose Smith with the No. 74 pick.
Smith didn’t see much time on offense during his rookie season, although he earned a first-team All Pro nod and Pro Bowl honors after finishing with 1,795 return yards (punt and kick) and three touchdowns. His net yardage of 1,994 led all rookies that season. During his sophomore year, Smith saw a much larger role in the offense, and he emerged as one of quarterback Rodney Peete‘s preferred targets, leading the team in receiving yards. The wideout established himself as one of the league’s top receivers in 2003; along with quarterback Jake Delhomme and running back Stephen Davis, the offensive trio helped guide the Panthers to an NFC Championship.
Unfortunately, that was the closest Smith would ever get to a Super Bowl ring, but the receiver still managed to establish himself as one of the best players in franchise history during his 13 seasons with the Panthers. Smith owns franchise records in receiving yards (12,197), receptions (836), and total touchdowns (67). His best season came in 2005, when he led the NFL in all three of those aforementioned categories (103 catches for 1,563 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns). Smith also earned a long list of accolades during his time with the Panthers, earning three All-Pro recognitions and five Pro Bowl appearances.
Smith’s tenure with the organization didn’t end on the best of terms; after being released by the team in 2014, the receiver promised “blood and guts” if he ever faced off against his former team. The veteran ended up inking a three-year deal with the Ravens, and when he faced off against the Panthers in Week 4 of the 2014 season, Smith went off for a season-high 139 receiving yards and two scores. Smith announced that he was going to retire following the 2015 season, but after that campaign was cut short due to an Achilles injury, he returned for one last season in 2016. He officially retired following that campaign.
The receiver will be eligible for the Hall of Fame next year. Smith ranks eighth all-time in receiving yards (14,731) and 12th all-time in receptions (1,031). Those are some spectacular numbers for a former third-rounder who probably wouldn’t have warranted his own post back in 2001.
Panthers, Terrace Marshall Agree To Deal
The Panthers have agreed to terms with second-round pick Terrace Marshall. The wide receiver will play on a four-year deal worth $5.7MM, per the terms of his slot at No. 59.
After trading down twice in Round 2, the Panthers planned to select BYU tackle Brady Christensen and add LSU wideout Terrace Marshall Jr. with a subsequent trade-up shortly after. However, they changed course after hearing the Saints’ footsteps. Unwilling to let him get away, the Panthers leapfrogged their rivals and reunited Marshall with offensive coordinator Joe Brady. It all worked out for the Panthers, who still managed to take Christensen in the third round.
Marshall played a key role for LSU’s national championship team alongside Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. He totaled 23 touchdown grabs between 2019 and 2020, a promising sign of what’s to come.
“Not too many people are 6-2, 200-plus and run a 4.3, and are able to make plays on the ball like Terrace does,” Brady said earlier this year. “When the ball’s in the air, Terrace always finds a way to come down with it, and I think he showcased that every time he was on the football field. Not a lot of games but a lot of production.”
Now, he’ll play alongside Panthers vets D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, helping to replace ex-WR2 Emmanuel Sanders. Christensen and third-round tight end Tommy Tremble now stand as the Panthers’ last stragglers.
Panthers, Jaycee Horn Agree To Deal
The Panthers have agreed to terms with first-round pick Jaycee Horn (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The South Carolina product will earn $21.1MM fully guaranteed on his four-year deal, per the terms of his No. 8 overall slot
As expected, Horn was the first cornerback to come off of the board, beating out the likes of Patrick Surtain and Caleb Farley. The rival Saints also had an eye on him, but they couldn’t swing a deal to get into the top 10.
Many believed that the Panthers would target offensive line help for new quarterback Sam Darnold, but they couldn’t pass up Horn’s potential. The son of former Pro Bowl wideout Joe Horn, the defensive back offers a rare combination of speed and physicality at cornerback.
Horn was on the draft radar ever since his solid 2018 showing. By 2020, he solidified his status as an elite prospect. In his final year with the Buckeyes, Horn nabbed a pair interceptions and notched six passes defended in just seven games (Horn sat out the final stretch of the year after the departure of head coach Will Muschamp).
With Horn taken care of, only ten of this year’s 32 first-rounders remain unsigned. That includes the top four in this year’s draft — Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Kyle Pitts. Meanwhile, the Panthers have just three stragglers to go.
A.J. Bouye To Play In Slot With Panthers
- A.J. Bouye broke out as an outside corner with the Texans and made the Pro Bowl as a boundary defender with the Jaguars. The Broncos used Bouye on the outside as well last season. The Panthers have a different plan. Carolina DC Phil Snow told Bouye the team needs him in the slot, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required). After signing Bouye to a two-year, $7MM deal, the Panthers picked Jaycee Horn eighth overall. Horn and Donte Jackson are on track to be Carolina’s outside corners this season.
- Panthers safety Jeremy Chinn underwent surgery for an injury that has bothered him since college. The second-year defender had what Matt Rhule described as a minor knee operation this offseason, but Carolina’s HC said the injury Chinn dealt with in 2020 had bothered him dating back to his Southern Illinois days (Twitter links via Person). Despite the injury, Chinn proved to be one of the NFL’s top rookies last season.