Panthers Replace Palardy With Scifres
- Following the Panthers‘ signing of Mike Scifres on Tuesday, the team cut punter Michael Palardy, Wilson tweets. A UDFA in 2014, Palardy spent time with the Raiders and Panthers in his career.
Panthers Notes: Short, Kalil
- Panthers coach Ron Rivera has repeatedly said that he wasn’t concerned by the absence of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short during OTAs, but David Newton of ESPN.com is confident that both he and GM Dave Gettleman are irked by it. “The thing I appreciate, for most part, everybody has told me what’s been going on with the exception of one person,” said Rivera, who was very possibly referring to the defensive tackle. Short’s 11 sacks last season were tied for the most by anyone at his position. He is currently scheduled to count for just $1.473MM against the 2016 cap.
- Ryan Kalil‘s extension with the Panthers calls for him to make $13.25MM in 2016 instead of the originally planned $7.75MM, but he’ll make just $3.75MM in ’17, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. That affordable salary pretty much secures his ’17 roster spot, he adds. Following the extension, Kalil’s cap numbers are as follows (Twitter link via Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer): $11.83MM in 2016, $5.33MM in 2017, and $5.78MM in 2018.
Ron Rivera Unsure On Kawann Short's Status
- Panthers head coach Ron Rivera was noncommittal when asked whether he thought Kawann Short would be at minicamp next week, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Short is currently sitting out OTAs in the hopes of hammering out a new deal. Carolina was thought to be interested in working out an extension, but talks are reportedly on hold for the moment.
Panthers, Michael Oher Exploring Extension
The Panthers have expressed interest in inking left tackle Michael Oher to a multi-year deal, sources tell Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer. There’s no word on how far along discussions are — or, in fact, if talks have even officially begun — but Carolina is apparently intrigued by the idea of extending Oher before he reaches free agency next spring.
[RELATED: Panthers sign punter Mike Scifres]
Carolina has already extended one offensive lineman this week, agreeing to a deal yesterday that will keep center Ryan Kalil with the club through the 2018 season. As Jones details, the Kalil extension, and the reported interest in a pact with Oher, is an indication that general manager Dave Gettleman & Co. are intent on spending some of the money saved when the Panthers rescinded the $13.952MM franchise tag on cornerback Josh Norman.
Oher, for his part, had an excellent campaign in his first year with Carolina, rebounding from a down 2014 with the Titans to grade as a top-30 offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. Helping block for one of the best running games in the league (as well as protect league MVP Cam Newton), Oher was a key factor in the Panthers ranking 12th in adjusted line yards, up from 21st in 2014.
Having recently hired Drew Rosenhaus for representation, Oher is clearly interested in a new deal. “It would show that the organization believes in me,” Oher said of what a new deal would mean. “I still have to prove myself. I’m still just trying to prove myself to them and just make sure I’m one of these guys because they do it right.” Scheduled to count for $4.5MM on Carolina’s cap in 2016, Oher would be in line for a healthy raise if he and his team are able to hammer out a deal with the Panthers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers Sign Mike Scifres
Veteran punter Mike Scifres has found a new NFL home, as he’s agreed to a contract with the Panthers, the club announced. Carolina has waived fellow punter Michael Palardy in a corresponding move.
Scifres sat on the free agent market for a little over a month before landing a new deal, having been released by the Chargers at the end of April. The 35-year-old had been with the Chargers since 2004, having spent his entire 13-year career with San Diego, but after the Chargers selected punter Drew Kaser in the sixth round of this year’s draft, Scifres’ release appeared imminent. Scifres suffered a down year in 2015, ranking just 29th in net punting average, but he has a track record of consistency, and should be the favorite for the to handle the Panthers’ punting duties.
“What I did for 13 years in San Diego I still feel that I’m capable of doing here,” Scifres said. “I still feel I can play. Going into the draft, I knew there was a possibility I would end up getting released by San Diego. This is a new chapter, and it’s about the player I can be for this team.”
“I was extremely excited when I got the call, because this was a situation that I had followed, knowing some of the players and coaches and seeing (former Panthers punter) Brad Nortman go to Jacksonville,” Scifres said. “This was a definitely a team I wanted to play for.”
Palardy, 23, was signed to the Panthers’ roster in April. He spent time with the Raiders in 2014, and has spent the better part of two years working out for various NFL teams, but he has yet to actually see game action.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers Sign Ryan Kalil To Extension
12:55pm: The two-year deal is worth $16.75MM, effectively $13MM guaranteed, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
12:42pm: The Panthers announced that they have inked center Ryan Kalil to a two-year extension. The deal will keep Kalil in Carolina through the 2018 season. Exact terms of the deal are not yet known.
[RELATED: Kawann Short Skipping Panthers OTAs]
Kalil, 31, earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection and his second career First-Team All-Pro nod in 2015. With (effectively) one year to go on his deal, Kalil was in great position to work out a brand new contract with the team.
Regarded as one of the top centers in the league, Kalil signed a six-year, $49MM+ contract extension with the Panthers in August 2011. The monster deal included $19MM in total guarantees and it will be interesting to see what the numbers on this latest deal are. Before starting his new deal, Kalil will earn a base salary of $7.5MM in 2016.
In 2015, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Kalil as the 12th best center in the NFL, just head of Falcons center Alex Mack and Saints center Max Unger. Kalil’s overall score of 76.6 accounted for his strong 84.0 run block grade and his less impressive 57.6 mark for pass blocking.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers Notes: Norman, Oher
Executives around the NFL are still perplexed by the Panthers‘ sudden decision to part ways with Josh Norman this offseason, Mark Maske of The Washington Post writes.
Norman, 28, enjoyed a career-year in 2015 as he was named to the All Pro first team and selected for his first Pro Bowl. In April, the Panthers pulled the franchise tag from Norman, saving themselves $13.952MM in cap room.
- David Newton of ESPN.com says that fans shouldn’t be blindsided if the Panthers give Michael Oher a deserved contract extension. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) placed Oher as the 30th best tackle in the NFL last season. That’s a far cry from 2014, when PFF rated him as one of the worst tackles in the NFL. The 30-year-old, coming off a surprisingly successful first season in Carolina, has a $4.5MM 2016 cap charge in the second year of a two-year deal, and could be a candidate for a new deal. In February, Oher made a change in representation, hiring the outspoken Drew Rosenhaus.
Kawann Short Skipping Panthers OTAs
As he pushes for a new contract, Panthers standout Kawann Short is looking to make a statement. The defensive tackle skipped last week’s voluntary organized team activities and will likely miss this week’s, Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer writes. 
The two sides have been expected to hammer out a deal before the start of the season, but talks were recently put on hold. It’s not clear whether both parties are still on track to agree on a fresh multi-year pact.
“If it happens, it happens, but we haven’t focused on that,” Short said of a new deal. “I’ve still got a lot I need to do. I’ve put myself in the position, but at the same time, I’m not where I want to be. We’re not rushing the issue.”
Short led the Panthers with 11 sacks last season and Carolina knows that the bidding for Short will get out of hand if he reaches the open market after the 2016 season. At present, the Panthers have roughly $30MM in cap room which will allow them to give Short a deal that reflects his place as one of the league’s best defensive tackles.
Short, 27, enjoyed a breakout season in 2015, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and starting all 16 of the Panthers’ games for the first time. The Purdue product racked up 11 sacks to go along with 55 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He also added two more sacks and a forced fumble in the postseason.
As PFR’s Dallas Robinson observed in his preview of the Panthers’ offseason, the negotiations between Short’s camp and the team will be interesting. On one hand, the Pro Bowl defender has really only produced at an elite level for one season. However, there’s no reason to think Short’s reps won’t make the case that their client deserves to be paid like Marcell Dareus or Gerald McCoy — those players inked long-term pacts worth $95MM+, making them the highest-paid 4-3 defensive tackles in the NFL not named Ndamukong Suh.
If the two sides cannot agree on a brand new deal, Short will likely receive the franchise tag from the Panthers. This year, the franchise salary for a defensive tackle was $13.615MM and that number is expected to go a little bit higher in 2017.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Tre Boston On Josh Norman's Departure
Panthers free safety Tre Boston wishes that Josh Norman was still with the team, but he also understands the nature of the NFL.
As the Panthers adjust to life without one of the league’s top corners, let’s take a look around the NFC:
Panthers, Kawann Short Pause Contract Talks
Contract talks between the Panthers and defensive tackle Kawann Short “temporarily are on hold,” according to ESPN.com’s David Newton. The two sides have been discussing a new deal since May and even though talks have cooled down, Newton still expects a deal to get done between June and the start of the 2016 season. For his part, Short isn’t sweating the potential extension. 
“If it happens, it happens, but we haven’t focused on that,” Short said of a new deal. “I’ve still got a lot I need to do. I’ve put myself in the position, but at the same time, I’m not where I want to be. We’re not rushing the issue.”
Short led the Panthers with 11 sacks last season and Carolina knows that the bidding for Short will get out of hand if he reaches the open market after the 2016 season . At present, the Panthers have roughly $30MM in cap room which will allow them to give Short a deal that reflects his place as one of the league’s best defensive tackles.
Short, 27, enjoyed a breakout season in 2015, earning his first Pro Bowl nod and starting all 16 of the Panthers’ games for the first time. The Purdue product racked up 11 sacks to go along with 55 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. He also added two more sacks and a forced fumble in the postseason.
As PFR’s Dallas Robinson observed in his preview of the Panthers’ offseason, the negotiations between Short’s camp and the team will be interesting. On one hand, the Pro Bowl defender has really only produced at an elite level for one season. However, there’s no reason to think Short’s reps won’t make the case that their client deserves to be paid like Marcell Dareus or Gerald McCoy — those players inked long-term pacts worth $95MM+, making them the highest-paid 4-3 defensive tackles in the NFL not named Ndamukong Suh.
If the two sides cannot agree on a brand new deal, Short will likely receive the franchise tag from the Panthers. This year, the franchise salary for a defensive tackle was $13.615MM and that number is expected to go a little bit higher in 2017.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.