Panthers Sign Matt Kalil
Former Minnesota offensive tackle Matt Kalil has signed with the Panthers, per a club announcement. The deal was first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Now, Matt will play on the same offensive line as his brother, Ryan Kalil.
It’s a five-year, $55.5MM deal for Kalil, who will receive $24MM guaranteed, Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer writes. However, that doesn’t quite tell the whole story. The deal is effectively a one-year pact with an option for more, based on what one source tells Mike Florio of PFT.
The Panthers have to decide between the first and fifth day of the 2018 league year whether to exercise a $10MM option bonus for 2021, with a $10MM non-exercise fee for 2018. The Panthers can avoid escape the option bonus by releasing or trading him prior to that deadline. Ultimately, this all measures out to a one-year, $13MM deal with a $1MM guarantee for 2018. Cutting ties with Kalil after one year would be costly, but it wouldn’t be out of the question if he underperforms.
The Vikings took Kalil No. 4 overall in 2012 draft and watched him enjoy a stellar rookie campaign. However, he’s been unable to replicate that success. Last year, he appeared in just two games due to injury. Hopefully, he’ll be able to turn in a 16-game season this year, like he did from 2012-2015.
There was mutual interest in a reunion between the Vikings and the 27-year-old (28 this summer), but Kalil was likely drawn to Carolina by the chance to play with his brother. Now, he’ll go to the Panthers and fill one of the team’s major offseason needs. Michael Oher was slated to be the team’s left tackle for 2017, but concussion issues have put his status in question.
Matt Kalil Likely To Sign With Vikings Or Panthers
Free agent left tackle Matt Kalil is expected to sign with either the Vikings or the Panthers, according to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports (Twitter link), who adds that clubs are waiting for the first left tackle “domino” to fall.
A reunion with the Vikings would see Kalil staying with the only club he’s ever played for during his five-year career. Minnesota selected Kalil fourth overall in the 2012 draft, and witnessed him excel during his rookie campaign. It’s been all downhill since, however, as Kalil has struggled to live up to his first-year production. In 2016, Kalil managed less than 200 snaps before going down with injury.
Kalil, 27, has indicated a preference to stay with the Vikings, and general manager Rick Spielman has also expressed his desire to re-sign the sixth-year pro. “We have a plan in place on everything,” Spielman said last month. “But I also know I have a pretty good history of trying to keep our own guys as well.” Minnesota’s offensive line was perhaps the league’s worst last year, so while Kalil isn’t an elite option, he’s preferable to what the Vikings deployed at left tackle in 2016.
The Panthers’ interest in Kalil has been reported before, as Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer linked Kalil to Carolina earlier this week. As of early this month, incumbent Panthers left tackle Michael Oher is still in the concussion protocol — even if he’s healthy, Oher could shift to the right side if Kalil is signed.
Latest On Joe Mixon
Maybe the most anticipated pro day of the year occurred today when Oklahoma’s event included controversial running back Joe Mixon. Since the former Sooners ball-carrier didn’t receive an opportunity to perform at the Combine, he tested today.
Mixon ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, running one sprint, and performed 21 bench press repetitions of 225 pounds. He posted 35-inch vertical jump. The 21 bench reps would have tied Mixon for sixth among running backs at the Combine, while the 40 time would have placed him in a tie for ninth. Nine running backs surpassed 35 inches on their vertical vaults in Indianapolis (Twitter link via Gil Brandt of NFL.com).
The Panthers came away as one of the interested teams, per David Newton of ESPN.com (on Twitter). They won’t likely be the only one. Four teams — the Bengals, Browns, Lions and Saints — met with Mixon on Tuesday night in Norman, Okla. Other NFL personnel pegged him as a potential first-round talent, though some teams have removed him from their boards due to the 2014 incident that saw a video camera capture him hitting a woman. Others are on the fence.
“He was public enemy No. 1 on campus,” said one AFC scout, via Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. “You heard stories about people staring at him, taking pictures in class, the stuff he’d hear from other fan bases. Some guys [in that situation] would fly off the handle. … And he’s been nothing but a model citizen, a great teammate.”
Mixon amassed 1,812 yards from scrimmage and scored 15 touchdowns last season, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He will follow the likes of Tyreek Hill and Frank Clark in polarizing talents that come into the NFL with this kind of off-field baggage. Tom Pelissero of USA Today expects Mixon to be drafted on Day 2, like Clark was.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/7/17
Unrestricted free agent news will obviously dominate the day, but several clubs also had to make decisions on whether to offer tenders to restricted and exclusive rights free agents. All RFA tenders listed are original round/right of first refusal (worth $1.797MM), and all links go to Twitter:
RFAs:
Tendered:
- Bengals — G T.J. Johnson (via Jim Owczarski of the Enquirer)
- Bills — C Ryan Groy (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com)
- Buccaneers — DE Jacquies Smith (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times)
- Giants — DE Kerry Wynn (via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com)
- Patriots — T Cameron Fleming (via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
- Rams — DT Dominique Easley (via Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com)
- Ravens – S Marqueston Huff (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com); WR Michael Campanaro, T James Hurst, RB Terrance West (via Jeff Zriebec of the Baltimore Sun)
Non-Tendered:
- Bills — DE IK Enemkpali, P Colton Schmidt
- Broncos — OL Sam Brenner (via Mike Klis of 9NEWS)
- Chargers — WR Jeremy Butler (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk)
- Seahawks — LB Brock Coyle, CB DeShawn Shead (via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com)
ERFAs:
Tendered:
- Broncos — LB Zaire Anderson, OLB Shaquil Barrett, RB Kapri Bibbs, C James Ferentz, WR Bennie Fowler, LS Casey Kreiter, C Matt Paradis, WR Jordan Taylor (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post)
- Cardinals — QB Zac Dysert, DT Olsen Pierre, G/T John Wetzel (via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com)
- Jaguars — S Peyton Thompson (via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union)
- Lions — DE Brandon Copeland (via Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com)
- Packers — LB Joe Thomas (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
- Panthers — C Tyler Larsen, P Michael Palardy
- Patriots — CB Justin Coleman (via Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald), TE Matt Lengel (via Kevin Duffy of MassLive)
- Saints — WR Brandon Coleman (via Nick Underhill of the Advocate)
Non-Tendered:
- Buccaneers — DE Howard Jones (via Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times)
Panthers Re-Sign Charles Johnson
The Panthers have announced the re-signing of defensive end Charles Johnson, meaning yet another edge rusher won’t hit the open market. Johnson can make up to $9.5MM over two years, tweets ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal has a base of $8MM before factoring in the $1.5MM in incentives, Nick Underhill of The Advocate tweets.
The 30-year-old Johnson made it clear in December that he wanted to remain with Carolina, the only NFL team for which he has played. The Panthers selected Johnson in the third round of the 2007 draft, and he has since tallied 103 starts in 131 appearances, 67.5 sacks and 17 forced fumbles. In 13 appearances – all starts – in 2016, Johnson racked up 26 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles to rank as Pro Football Focus’ 25th-best edge defender among 109 qualifiers.
The Panthers and Johnson briefly separated last offseason, when the team released him in a cost-cutting move. Carolina shortly brought back Johnson on a $3MM deal, so his new contract represents a nice raise. PFR’s Dallas Robinson pegged Johnson as the eighth-best unsigned edge defender prior to Tuesday.
Panthers Re-Sign Fozzy Whittaker
Fozzy Whittaker will be sticking around North Carolina. Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer reports (via Twitter) that the running back has signed a new two-year deal with the Panthers. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that the contract is worth $2.5MM.
The former undrafted free agent originally joined the organization during the 2014 season, and he proceeded to play in at least 10 games during each of his three seasons with the Panthers. The 28-year-old had his best NFL season in 2016, setting career-highs in yards (265), attempts (57), yards per carry (4.6), catches (25) and receiving yards (226).
The running back will presumably resume his role as the Panthers third running back, slotted in behind Jonathan Stewart and Cameron Artis-Payne.
Panthers To Tender RFA OL Andrew Norwell
The Panthers will use a second-round tender on restricted free agent offensive lineman Andrew Norwell, according to David Newton of ESPN.com. That tender will be worth $2.746MM.
[RELATED: Kawann Short Expected To Sign Franchise Tag Soon]
Carolina has now created a significant impediment to other clubs poaching Norwell, as rival teams would have to submit an (unmatched) offer sheet to the Panthers and sacrifice a second-round pick. That’s a steep price to pay even for Norwell, who last year graded out as the league’s No. 11 guard, per Pro Football Focus. Norwell, 25, has started 29 games over the past two seasons, firmly entrenching himself at left guard opposite Trai Turner.
Norwell is now the sixth restricted free agent to be tendered at the second-round level, joining Brandon McManus and Todd Davis (Broncos), Isaiah Crowell (Browns), Taylor Gabriel (Falcons), and Trey Burton (Eagles). No RFA has yet been offered a first-round tender.
In other Panthers news, the club announced that it’s reached a new one-year deal with wide receiver Brenton Bersin. Bersin, 26, wasn’t tendered as a restricted free agent yesterday, but he’s now back with Carolina on a presumably cheaper contract.
Panthers Re-Sign Colin Jones
The Panthers have brought back a key member of their special teams unit. Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reports (via Twitter) that the team has re-signed defensive back Colin Jones. It’s a two-year deal worth $2.4MM.
The 29-year-old has spent the past five seasons in Carolina, playing in 76 games (six starts). His best season came in 2014, when he collected 27 tackles, one sack, and three passes defended. This past season, Jones compiled five tackles in 14 games.
The defensive back originally entered the league as a sixth-round pick by the 49ers in 2011. He was traded to the Panthers for a seventh-round pick in 2012, and he inked a two-year extension with the team in 2014.
Panthers Expected To Tender Andrew Norwell
- The Panthers plan to tender restricted free agent guard Andrew Norwell before Thursday’s deadline, a source tells Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Norwell has started 38 games for Carolina dating back to 2014 and started in all 16 contests last year. The 25-year-old Norwell graded as the league’s No. 11 guard in 2016, per Pro Football Focus, so the Panthers aren’t going to be able to assign him an original round tender if they hope to dissuade other clubs from stealing their starting guard. The second-round tender, with a price tag of $2.746MM, is the more likely route.
Kawann Short To Sign Franchise Tag Soon
Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short is expected to sign his franchise tender at some point this week, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
[RELATED: Panthers To Pursue Barry Church]
Short would have been the best interior defender on the open market had he reached free agency, but the Panthers opted to assign him the franchise tag, which will pay Short a fully guaranteed $13.387MM for the 2017 season. Short has expressed a willingness to sign the tender in the recent past, confessing that he wouldn’t take the same stance former Carolina franchise player Josh Norman did in 2016. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short, who was unable to reach a long-term deal with the Panthers last offseason.
The 28-year-old Short, who graded as the league’s No. 3 interior defender last season per Pro Football Focus, would have until later this summer to ink an extension with the Panthers after signing the tag. Short earned a base salary of just over $1MM during the 2016 campaign.
Earlier today, Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson became the first 2017 franchise player to sign his tender.