Panthers Franchise Tag Kawann Short
The Panthers have applied the franchise tag to Kawann Short, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The long-expected move has since been confirmed by Carolina.
[RELATED: Melvin Ingram, Trumaine Johnson To Be Franchise Tagged?]
Now that Short has been tagged, the two sides will have until July to work out a long-term deal. If they are not able to come to a new agreement, Short will likely play out the 2017 season on a one-year, $13.468MM pact.
Short was ranked No. 3 on PFR’s most recent edition of the Free Agent Power Rankings and was our top interior defender to potentially reach the open market. Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Short is on record as saying he’s okay with signing the franchise tender. The 28-year-old was the third-best interior defender in the league this season, per Pro Football Focus, and his 87.7 overall score was roughly in line with his 2015 mark, even though he had five less sacks. By PFF’s metrics, only defensive tackles Aaron Donald and Calais Campbell ranked ahead of Short in 2016.
The price tag for a Short extension went up when Fletcher Cox and Muhammad Wilkerson inked lucrative new deals last summer. Carolina would probably like to re-up Short at roughly $15MM per year on a multi-year deal, but it might take an AAV of ~$17MM or more to get something done based on how the market looks now. Even that number could trend upwards depending on how things break in March.
Ingram, Johnson To Be Franchise Tagged?
Melvin Ingram and Trumaine Johnson are among the players expected to be franchise tagged between now and March 1, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter also lists Kirk Cousins, Le’Veon Bell, Kawann Short as guys who are likely to get the tag. 
While Cousins, Bell, and Short have long been seen as likely franchise candidates, things were less certain when it came to California’s two top free agents. Ingram has racked up 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons, but the Chargers have lots of holes to fill and some believed that the team would direct those resources elsewhere. Johnson, meanwhile, is coming off of a so-so season and the Rams will have to pay a surcharge in order to tag him for a second time.
It’s likely that the latest salary cap projection is playing a role in the decisions. It now sounds like the cap will land somewhere between $166MM and $169MM, up from $155.27MM last year. The one-year franchise tenders are expensive, but they are easier to swallow now that all 32 teams will have a little extra room to work with.
Our most recent edition of the Free Agent Power Rankings had Ingram as the fourth-best free agent on the board. Johnson was outside of the Top 10 but earned honorable mention.
Panthers Re-Sign DE Wes Horton
The Panthers announced they’ve re-signed defensive end Wes Horton. It’s a two-year deal for the veteran. Exact terms of the deal are not yet known. 
[RELATED: Panthers Re-Sign DE Mario Addison]
Horton, 27, appeared in eleven games for the team last season, including ten starts. he finished out the year with eleven total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. When averaged out per game, the 2016 season amounted to his most productive yet.
Horton first made a name for himself in 2013 when he joined the Panthers as an undrafted rookie. He wound up making 15 starts for Carolina in 2014 while Greg Hardy was suspended. Horton might not be a starter for Carolina when the 2017 season opens, but they’re probably planning on significant playing time for him even if he’s a reserve.
Panthers Re-Sign DE Mario Addison
The Panthers announced that they’ve re-signed defensive end Mario Addison to a three-year deal. Addison, 30, was scheduled to become a free agent next week, but is now locked up through the 2019 campaign at a total cost of $22.5MM, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Addison will receive $11.5MM in guaranteed money and earn $9.75MM in 2017, per Rapoport (on Twitter), while the total value of the pact could creep to $25.05MM.
[RELATED: A.J. Klein Seeking Starting Role]
“Mario has shown he is one of the best emerging pass rushers in the league and he deserves this contract,” general manager Dave Gettleman said in a statement. “He consistently affects the quarterback, and we envision an increased role for him in our defense. He’s a pro in the way he approaches the game and brings an upbeat attitude to our locker room. We’re thrilled he will continue his career with the Panthers.”
Addison led Carolina with 9.5 sacks in 2016 and graded as the No. 16 edge defender in the league, per Pro Football Focus, but did so while playing on fewer than 500 defensive snaps, an indication that he may not be capable of playing a full-time role. However, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera did refer to Addison as a “complete defensive end” at the end of last season, and he’s certainly a valuable defender as a rotational option.
PFR’s No. 14 free agent edge defender, Addison had indicated an interest in re-signing with the Panthers earlier this year. With Addison’s deal now complete, Carolina will now turn its attention to retaining other members of its defensive line, which led the NFL in sacks last season. Kawann Short, Charles Johnson, Wes Horton, and Kyle Love are all heading for the open market, and could become unrestricted free agents on March 9.
Addison’s new yearly average of $7.5MM represents a significant raise from the $1.28MM annual salary he earned under the terms of his previous extension with Carolina. Additionally, that $7.5MM figure makes Addison one of the NFL’s top 10 highest-paid 4-3 defensive ends, as he’s now just behind the Vikings’ Everson Griffen and the Bengals’ Carlos Dunlap.
Panthers LB A.J. Klein Seeking Starting Job
Panthers linebacker A.J. Klein said he’ll be looking for a starting gig when he hits the open market next month, according to SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Panthers Release Paul Soliai]
As Klein alluded to in his interview with SiriusXM, he’s been stuck behind one of the best linebacker duos in the league for the duration of his career. Klein, 25, is a fine reserve, but he’s no Luke Kuechly or Thomas Davis, and was never going to usurp either player for starting time. Carolina used a first-round pick on fellow ‘backer Shaq Thompson in 2015, further decreasing any chance Klein would venture into the club’s starting lineup.
While Klein hasn’t been a regular during his time with the Panthers, he has averaged roughly six starts per season over the past four years thanks to injuries along Carolina’s linebacking unit. In 2016, though, Klein only played on about a third of the Panthers’ defensive snaps, but did see action on nearly half the club’s special teams plays. All told, he managed 29 tackles, one sack, and two forced fumbles.
OL Geoff Schwartz Announces Retirement
Longtime NFL offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz announced his retirement today, writing on SB Nation today that he’s decided to hang up his cleats.
Schwartz, 30, spent last summer on the Lions’ offseason roster after signing a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal with Detroit. Expected to serve as a reserve at several positions along the line, Schwartz was waived at the end of August. As he writes in his retirement piece, Schwartz fully expected to land another contract after parting ways with the Lions, but after weeks passed with no contact from interested clubs, Schwartz realized his career was likely over.
Nevertheless, Schwartz’s seven-year NFL run can’t be considered anything other than a success, especially given that Schwartz entered the league as seventh-round pick and suffered a devastating hip injury soon after becoming an established starter. After bouncing around with the Panthers and Vikings, Schwartz played his best ball with the Chiefs in 2013, grading as one of the best guards in the NFL.
After parlaying his seven-game starter stint in Kansas City into a four-year deal with the Giants, Schwartz dealt with injury once again, managing to play in only 13 games over two seasons thanks to ankle, toe, and leg issues. Having struggled to stay on the field, Schwartz was released by New York last February.
Schwartz has already begun his post-NFL career in media: not only does he pen excellent pieces at SB Nation, but he’s co-authored a book with his brother, Chiefs offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz. For offensive line junkies, Schwartz’s Twitter account is a must-follow, as is his podcast.
Panthers Cut FB Mike Tolbert
The Panthers are making some major moves today. Moments after releasing defensive tackle Paul Soliai comes word that the Panthers are also cutting fullback Mike Tolbert (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). 
[RELATED: Panthers Sign G Amini Silatolu]
Tolbert is coming off of his third career Pro Bowl selection, all of which have come with the Panthers. In his five years with Carolina, Tolbert has also garnered two First Team All-Pro nods (2013, 2015). We can safely assume that Tolbert is being cut for cap purposes rather than football reasons. Tolbert was set to carry a $2.075MM cap charge but the team will clear $1.725MM in space by cutting him.
Historically, the Panthers gave Tolbert a decent amount of work as a running back in their offense. In 2016, however, he had only 35 carries – the lowest total of his Panthers career. Teams looking for a lead blocker with goal line ability will be getting in touch with Tolbert’s agent over the next few weeks.
Panthers To Release DT Paul Soliai
The Panthers are cutting defensive tackle Paul Soliai, according to agent David Canter (via Twitter). Soliai signed a two-year, $7MM deal with Carolina just one year ago. 
[RELATED: Victor Cruz Visits Panthers]
Soliai, 33, joined up with the Panthers after spending several years with the Dolphins and two seasons with the rival Falcons. This year, he was only able to appear in ten games for his new team and finished out the year with eight total tackles. For his limited time on the field, he had a dreadful 47.6 out of 100 score on Pro Football Focus.
Per the terms of his deal, Soliai was scheduled to collect on a $500K roster bonus on the fifth day of the 2017 league year. By informing him of his release today, the Panthers are giving Soliai several extra weeks to find his next NFL home. He might not be able to replicate his 2013 season, but he does offer plenty of experience and he is capable of playing in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
Victor Cruz Visits Panthers
The Giants released wide receiver Victor Cruz last Monday, but it didn’t take long for the 30-year-old to garner serious interest on the open market. Cruz visited the Panthers on Monday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links). Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review first reported the connection between Cruz and Carolina.
The meeting between Cruz and Carolina “went well,” Cruz tells Art Stapleton of The Record (Twitter link), who adds that mutual interest exists between the two parties. Cruz will continue the free agent “process,” an indication he’ll likely meet with other clubs, but the Panthers are a “strong first suitor,” per Stapleton.
If the Panthers were to sign Cruz, it would reunite him with general manager Dave Gettleman, who worked in the Giants’ front office from 1999-2012. Gettleman was on hand when the Giants signed Cruz as an undrafted free agent from UMass in 2010, which turned into an excellent move for both the team and player.
Cruz caught 303 passes and 25 touchdowns as a Giant, with whom he also won a Super Bowl and went to a Pro Bowl. Injuries mostly kept Cruz out of action from 2014-15, though he bounced back last season to make 15 appearances and 12 starts. While Cruz only caught 39 passes and one touchdown in 2016, he did manage to match his career yards-per-catch average of 15.0.
Regardless of whether they add Cruz, acquiring more targets for Cam Newton should be a priority for the Panthers. The team’s top two pass catchers from last season, tight end Greg Olsen and wideout Kelvin Benjamin, will be in the fold in 2017, but third-leading receiver Ted Ginn is headed for free agency. No one else on Carolina’s roster hauled in more than 27 passes last year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers Sign G Amini Silatolu
The Panthers announced they have re-signed guard Amini Silatolu. It’ll be a one-year deal for Carolina and the former second-round pick. 
After being selected early in 2012, Silatolu started 15 games during his rookie season and looked the part of a future cog for the Panthers. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him ever since. He suffered torn ACLs which ended both his 2013 and 2015 seasons and calf and knee injuries plagued him in 2014. Silatolu slid down the depth chart and the team showed little (if any) interest in re-signing him after the 2015 season. He hooked on with the Bears prior to the 2016 season, but he was cut before Week 1.
Now, he returns to the Panthers to try and recapture the spark he had in 2012.