Panthers To Meet With TE Eric Ebron
The Panthers will meet with free agent tight end Eric Ebron, according to Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). To our knowledge, this marks Ebron’s first visit, though the Ravens are also said to have interest. 
The Lions had Ebron under contract for $8.25MM thanks to his fifth-year option, but the option is guaranteed for injury only. Detroit released Ebron this week, without financial penalty, after being unable to find a taker for him via trade.
Ebron lacks the braun for blocking, but he’s an athletic tight end with receiving ability. A deal could quickly materialize for him now that Jimmy Graham, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Trey Burton, and Tyler Eifert are off the free agent board.
Other available free agent tight ends of note include Antonio Gates, Ed Dickson, and Levine Toilolo. All things considered, Ebron carries the most upside of the bunch. He could also be a natural fit for the Panthers since he attended both high school and college in North Carolina.
Seahawks free agent tight end Luke Willson visited with the Panthers this week, but left without signing a deal.
Panthers To Sign Dontari Poe
The Panthers are signing defensive tackle Dontari Poe, according to Kimberley A. Martin of the Washington Post (on Twitter). It’s a three-year deal worth between $9MM and $10MM per year, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Martin specifies (via Twitter) this is a three-year, $27MM agreement.
Poe takes over for defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, who departed in free agency to sign with the Bills. He’ll be joined by Kawann Short in the middle with Julius Peppers and Mario Addison on the bookends, so Carolina will continue to have a fearsome front four.
After agreeing to a one-year deal with the Falcons several days into the 2017 free agency period, Poe drew more definitive interest this year. An endurance machine for a defensive tackle, Poe returned to his durable ways by playing in all 18 Falcons games last season. During the regular season, the three-down tackle logged 880 snaps — third-most among pure DTs last year. The two-time Pro Bowler, who ranked as PFR’s No. 4 free agent still on the board, will be set for his age-28 season.
Poe spent last season with the Falcons, though he was not expected to return due to his expected market. Indeed, he has secured a bump in average annual value, but this time over a longer span.
The former Chiefs first-round pick had to settle for a one-year deal last year because he was coming off one of his worst seasons. Poe underwent back surgery in in 2015 and in his final two Chiefs years wasn’t quite as dominant as his 2013-14 versions, when he combined for 10.5 sacks and looked on track to a top-market extension. The Chiefs, however, did not keep him. But Poe rebuilt his value in Atlanta, grading out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 35 interior defender last season.
He’ll join Short and form what figures to be a difficult interior tandem for offensive lines to handle come September.
[RELATED: Panthers Depth Chart]
TE Luke Willson To Visit Panthers
Luke Willson‘s tenure with the Seahawks may be over. The free agent tight end is set to visit with the Panthers this evening, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (via Twitter).
The 2013 fifth-round pick has spent his entire career with Seattle, earning himself a Super Bowl championship along the way. The 28-year-old finished the 2017 campaign having hauled in 15 receptions for 153 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Pro Football Focus ranked Willson 43rd among 71 tight end candidates, but the site was fond of his run-blocking skills.
The Panthers and Seahawks could effectively be swapping tight ends, as Ed Dickson is set to meet with Seattle tonight. If he joins the Panthers, Willson would presumably slide into a backup role behind Greg Olsen. Meanwhile, after having lost Jimmy Graham, the Seahawks are currently rostering only a pair of tight ends in Nick Vannett and Tyrone Swoopes.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/18
Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions, with the list being updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
RFAs
Tendered at the second-round level ($2.914MM):
- Cowboys DE David Irving (story)
- Giants: C Brett Jones (story via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY)
- Jets: Quincy Enunwa (story)
Tendered at original round level ($1.907MM):
- Browns: DT Jamie Meder
- Chiefs: DE Rakeem Nunez-Roches (via Adam Caplan of SiriusXM)
- Jets: OL Brent Qvale, TE Neal Sterling
- Lions: WR T.J. Jones (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com)
- Rams: OLB Matt Longacre (via Rapoport)
- Seahawks: DE Dion Jordan (story)
- Texans: C Greg Mancz
Non-tendered:
- Buccaneers: DE Ryan Russell (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Chargers: LB Josh Keyes
- Chiefs: LB Ramik Wilson (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
- Dolphins: OL Anthony Steen
- Falcons: RB Terron Ward (via D. Orlando Ledbetter)
- Jaguars: S Peyton Thompson, RB Tyler Gaffney
- Jets: DL Xavier Cooper
- Lions: RB Zach Zenner, DE Brandon Copeland, DL Zac Kerin
- Packers: LB Joe Thomas (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
- Panthers: WR Kaelin Clay, CB Ladarius Gunter, TE Scott Simonson, OL David Yankey (via David Newton of ESPN.com)
- Rams: LB Cameron Lynch, T Darrell Williams
- Saints: WR Brandon Coleman, DT David Parry
- Seahawks: RB Thomas Rawls, RB Mike Davis (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
- Steelers: WR Eli Rogers (story via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
- Texans: LB Brian Peters, DE Angelo Blackson, LB Ben Heeney
- Titans: S Curtis Riley (via Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com), RB Bishop Sankey (via Chris Tomasson)
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Browns: QB Kevin Hogan
- Colts: TE Erik Swoope, G Jeremy Vujnovich, CB Christopher Milton, LS Luke Rhodes
- Dolphins: C Jake Brendel, LB Mike Hull, CB Jordan Lucas
- Giants: DT Robert Thomas (via Vacchiano)
- Jets: S Doug Middleton FB Lawrence Thomas TE Eric Tomlinson
- Lions: QB Jake Rudock, DT Christian Ringo
- Packers: WR Geronimo Allison (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com)
- Rams: K Sam Ficken (via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com)
- Raiders: LB/DE James Cowser, S Erik Harris, G/T Denver Kirkland
- Ravens: LB Patrick Onwuasor, WR Quincy Adeboyejo, OL Matt Skura, OL Maurquice Shakir
- Seahawks: RB J.D. McKissic, DE Quinton Jefferson, DE Branden Jackson (via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times)
Non-tendered:
- Chiefs: DB Keith Baxter (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star)
- Giants: TE Ryan O’Malley, LB Curtis Grant (via Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com)
- Lions: DT Rodney Coe, P Kasey Redfern (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com)
- Packers: CB Herb Waters, LS Taybor Pepper (via Silverstein)
- Saints: C Jack Allen
Contract Details: CBs, McDougald, Ellis
Let’s take a look at the details from the latest contracts signed in the NFL, with all links going to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
- Bashaud Breeland, CB (Panthers): $24MM, three years. $8.5MM signing bonus, $10.4MM guaranteed. Base salaries of $900K, $6.75MM, $7.25MM (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Brent Grimes, CB (Buccaneers): One year, $7MM. Guaranteed $3.5MM base salary. $3.5MM roster bonus due March 18. $3MM in incentives for playing time, INTs, Pro Bowl. (per Wilson).
- Nevin Lawson, CB (Lions): Two years, $9.2MM. $4.55MM guaranteed, $2.25MM signing bonus. Base salaries of $2.3MM (guaranteed) and $2.4MM. $1.25MM roster bonus due on third day of 2019 league year (via Wilson).
- Bradley McDougald, S (Seahawks): Three years, $13.5MM. $6.5MM guaranteed, $4MM signing bonus (via Wilson).
- Justin Ellis, DT (Raiders): Three years, $13.5MM. $4.25MM cap hold in 2018. 2019: base salary of $2.25MM, roster bonus of $2.25MM each protected for injury. Otherwise, Raiders can opt out by Day 3 of 2019 league year (per Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal).
- Nate Ebner, ST (Patriots): Two years, $5MM. $1.2MM guaranteed signing bonus. Base salaries of $1.2MM, $2MM (per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe).
Panthers To Re-Sign DE Julius Peppers
The Panthers have re-signed veteran defensive end Julius Peppers to a one-year, $5MM deal, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links).
The 2018 free agent edge defender class is extremely weak, so much so that PFR named Peppers as the best pass rusher on the market. That’s not to say Peppers isn’t still a talented player, but a 38-year-old isn’t often viewed as the best available free agent at his position.
Peppers, of course, spent the first eight years of his career with the Panthers before reuniting on a one-year pact for 2017. The veteran defensive end collected $3.5MM with Carolina a season ago, and he will now see a pay increase after a successful campaign.
And successful it was, as Peppers managed 11 sacks, his highest total 2012. Sacks can be fluky, of course, but Pro Football Focus graded Peppers as a league-average defensive end, ranking him 63rd among 110 qualifying edge defenders.
Peppers played 50% of Carolina’s defensive snaps in 2017, and he’ll likely continue in a rotational role during the upcoming season. He’ll play alongside other Panthers defensive linemen including Mario Addison, Wes Horton, and Daeshon Hall.
[RELATED: Panthers Depth Chart]
Packers No Longer Interested In TE Ed Dickson
Ed Dickson has lost a suitor. After the Packers agreed to sign Jimmy Graham on Tuesday, they are no longer interested in the Panthers free agent, according to Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel (on Twitter). Meanwhile, they have “done nothing” with free agent Richard Rodgers.
Based on what we’ve heard, that could mean the Falcons are in the catbird seat for his services. Atlanta needs another tight end after cutting Levine Toilolo, so Dickson could potentially remain in the NFC South. He’d serve as the Falcons’ No. 2 behind starter Austin Hooper.
Dickson, 30, didn’t play a large receiving role during his first three years with the Panthers, but an injury to starting tight end Greg Olsen allowed Dickson to play on 80% of Carolina’s offensive plays last season. While he wasn’t a world-beater, Dickson did manage 437 yards and a touchdown, solid numbers considering he’d managed just 370 receiving yards from 2014-16.
Rubin Eyeing Diddy, Curry For Panthers Bid
We heard earlier this week that Michael Rubin is “considered a serious bidder in the race to buy” the Panthers organization. However, it sounds like the Fanatics owner won’t be the only big name in his bid. ESPN’s David Newton reports that music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and NBA star Steph Curry “are among a strong, diverse group” of potential minority owners that Rubin has been putting together. An owner is allowed to have up to 25 members in his ownership group.
Curry and Combs have both previously expressed interest in being part-owners of the Panthers. Diddy is currently valued at $820MM, while Curry, who went to high school in Charlotte, took home an estimated $47.3MM in 2017. While the duo might not have enough cash to be a majority owner, Newton points out that they “have the robust diversity Rubin is looking for in partners.” The two will likely join Rubin’s effort to own the Panthers, although no agreement has been finalized.
Rubin, who owns a stake in the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils and Premier League team Crystal Palace, is estimated to be worth $3 billion. The potential owner is primarily competing with two other serious candidates: hedge fund billionaire David Tepper and debt collector Ben Navarro. However, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that there have been six to eight “viable bidders” for the team.
Formal bids are expected to be due in a couple of weeks, as the NFL would like to get a deal approved before the owners meetings in May. Following allegations of work misconduct, owner Jerry Richardson announced that he was selling the organization back in December.
Panthers To Sign Bashaud Breeland
The Panthers are expected to sign cornerback Bashaud Breeland, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Until today, Breeland had spent his entire NFL career with the Redskins.
Breeland wasn’t the most well-known cornerback in this year’s lot with Trumaine Johnson, Malcolm Butler, Morris Claiborne, Prince Amukamara, and others in this year’s crop, but he was among the best. The Panthers have been desperate for secondary help ever since parting with Josh Norman and Breeland will help in that regard, even though he’s not exactly of the same caliber.
Breeland was on the radar for the Browns and likely high on the list for other needs in need of cornerback help. Breeland, 26, appeared in all but one of the Redskins’ games last season. He amassed 47 tackles and one interception, which was returned 96 yards for a touchdown against the Chargers.
Formerly a fourth-round pick, Breeland played opposite Norman for the past two seasons. He will now work for Norman’s former employer. Pro Football Focus bestowed a middling grade on Breeland but viewed him as an improved player from 2016. He deflected a career-high 16 passes last season and now has eight career INTs. Breeland has started 57 of the 60 regular-season games in which he played, moving into the lineup as a rookie.
The Redskins were going to let Breeland test the market before having traded Kendall Fuller, and now they’re going to be without two of their top three corners from last season. The Panthers, who are trading Daryl Worley to the Eagles for Torrey Smith, will align Breeland with James Bradberry and Captain Munnerlyn next season. They’ve now added Munnerlyn and Breeland the past two offseasons, augmenting a corps that was comprised almost exclusively of young talent after the rescinding of Norman’s franchise tag and Charles Tillman‘s retirement.
Latest On Allen Robinson’s Market
PFR’s No. 1 wide receiver available, Allen Robinson will be set to see a bevy of offers once the tampering window opens on Monday.
While Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports the Jaguars would love to retain the wideout they didn’t opt to use the franchise tag on, they will have immense competition. The Browns and Bears may be the two most aggressive pursuers, per La Canfora, but the Ravens and Panthers are also in the mix for the fifth-year receiver.
The Ravens missed out on a Jarvis Landry trade and may be set to revamp their receiving corps. The Panthers just traded for Torrey Smith. Neither of these teams can compete with the Bears or Browns in terms of cap space, with the Panthers sitting at less than $25MM and the Ravens at barely $4MM. JLC describes Baltimore and Carolina as expressing interest but maybe not on the level of Cleveland and Chicago’s.
Cleveland did add Landry and has outside receivers in Josh Gordon and Corey Coleman. However, neither of those players were acquired by this regime and, with Gordon’s rampant off-field issues and Coleman’s injury struggles, it’s possible the front office wants more help in addition to Landry. The Bears have a bigger need at wideout after its previous corps struggled with injuries and production. The Browns hold more than $82MM in cap space, and the Bears are sitting on just more than $50MM.
Robinson doesn’t have the cleanest track record as far as staying on the field, but his dominant 2015 season (14 touchdowns, 1,400 air yards) understandably would have teams teeming with interest.