Panthers Re-Sign Mike Tolbert
The Panthers have re-signed Mike Tolbert to a two-year deal, Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com writes. It’s a two-year deal worth about $2MM, a league source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). 
Tolbert will now return for a fifth year in Carolina and possibly season No. 6. Over his four years with the Panthers, Tolbert has amassed roughly 1,600 all-purpose yards. While he hasn’t been the primary back for Carolina, he has provided value with his pass catching skills and ability to bulldoze opponents at the goal line. Aside from the games he missed in the 2014 season due to a knee injury, Tolbert has been a virtual ironman for the Panthers.
A 2015 Pro Bowler, the 30-year-old Tolbert is coming off a four-year contract during which he made $2.5MM annually. He’s an excellent fit for Carolina’s run-based offense, and his ability to handle both running back and fullback makes him all the more valuable. As Dallas Robinson wrote in his preview of the Panthers’ offseason, Tolbert was likely to return, but not a four-year deal.
For his part, Tolbert ranked as our No. 1 free agent fullback, though PFR’s Luke Adams did note that listing Tolbert among the available fullbacks did seem a little like cheating, given that the Panthers frequently use him at running back as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Panthers Re-Sign Charles Johnson
WEDNESDAY, 7:31am: Johnson has officially signed his new one-year deal with the Panthers, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
TUESDAY, 7:47pm: Johnson’s one-year pact will be worth $3MM, tweets Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, so Johnson will take a $8MM pay cut to stay in Carolina. According to Person, Johnson turned down as much as $6MM elsewhere to re-sign with the Panthers.
6:30pm: Just days after being released by the Panthers, defensive end Charles Johnson plans to return to the only team he’s ever known, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter) that Johnson will re-sign with Carolina. It’ll be a one-yer deal, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
After being cut by the Panthers on March 3, Johnson quickly lined up suitors, taking visits with both the Giants and the Buccaneers. Johnson almost went to New York, as he tells Anderson (Twitter link), but admitted that his “heart was in Carolina” — indeed, Johnson tweeted a cryptic message earlier today, indicating that many observers would be surprised by where ended up.
Johnson was scheduled to earn $11MM in 2016 (between his base salary and a workout bonus), as well as account for a $15.02MM charge on the Panthers’ cap, and it’s safe to say that Johnson will earn less than that total on his new contract. Johnson was thought to have refused a pay cut before being released, so evidently he and the club have negotiated an acceptable figure since that time.
The 29-year-old Johnson has been the Panthers’ most reliable pass rusher over the last several years, recording at least 8.5 sacks in every season from 2010 to 2014. However, his 2015 campaign was derailed by a hamstring injury, which landed him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return, sidelining him for nearly half the season.
In nine regular-season games in 2015, Johnson recorded just 12 tackles and a single sack, easily making it his least productive year since his rookie campaign. He showed flashes of his old self during the team’s postseason run though, picking up three playoff sacks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/8/16
It’s been a day of huge news around the NFL, with top free agents like Malik Jackson and Kelechi Osemele reaching contract agreements. We don’t want to let some of the smaller deals from around the league slip through the cracks though, so let’s round up Tuesday’s minor transactions….
- The Panthers have agreed to terms with Joe Webb on a new two-year contract, according to his agency, SportsTrust Advisors (Twitter link). Webb provides Carolina with a third quarterback on its depth chart, and can be utilized as a versatile, all-purpose weapon elsewhere on offense and special teams.
- The 49ers have re-signed linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong, extending him through the 2016 season before he reaches free agency, the team announced today. San Francisco claimed Armstrong off waivers from the Raiders in 2015 after the linebacker and special-teamer made headlines for illegally taunting a police dog before a game against the Steelers.
- The Colts announced today that they’ve signed undrafted free agent long snapper Forrest Hill, in what probably qualifies as the exact opposite of a “splash.” Nonetheless, Hill could be given an opportunity to compete for the job this summer in Indianapolis against incumbent LS Matt Overton.
- Jaguars tight end Nic Jacobs has signed the one-year ERFA tender he received last week, the club announced today in a press release.
- Seahawks defensive tackle A.J. Francis has also received his ERFA tender, per Dov Kleiman of RantSports (Twitter link).
- The Seahawks waived defensive tackle Jesse Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports (on Twitter).
Free Agent Rumors: Jaguars, Bengals, Ravens
Jerricho Cotchery is not in the Panthers’ 2016 plans, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer writes. Cotchery, 34 in June, hauled in 87 passes for 1,065 yards and four touchdowns over the last two seasons with Carolina. The veteran has said that he would only continue playing if it were with the Panthers, so it’s possible that the former Jet will retire this offseason. Cotchery is effectively a free agent with a contract that will automatically void tomorrow.
The latest free agent rumors:
- The Jaguars are not close to done after agreeing to terms with Malik Jackson, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter) hears. The Jags are still interested in top pass rushers and corners.
- Albert Breer of NFL.com (on Twitter) senses that the Bengals‘ priority guys are safety George Iloka and wide receiver Marvin Jones. Breer hears there is about $15MM budgeted for unrestricted free agents, which may not leave much room for others.
- Saints free agent tight end Ben Watson is getting “strong, strong interest” from the Ravens, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- The Dolphins are in pursuit of defensive end William Hayes, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. There is a strong market for Hayes, however, so Miami will have some competition to deal with.
- Running back Lamar Miller wants an annual salary in the range of $6MM or more, which is more than the Dolphins would like to offer, Jackson writes.
- The Vikings have checked in on Lions free agent linebacker Tahir Whitehead, per Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (on Twitter).
- The Raiders are working to retain wide receiver Andre Holmes but the sense is that he’ll get decent interest elsewhere, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets.
Panthers Re-Sign Stephen Hill
The Panthers (Twitter link) announced that they have re-signed wide receiver Stephen Hill to a one-year deal. Hill missed all of the 2015 season after tearing his ACL over the summer.
Prior to Hill’s unfortunate injury, the team was said to be high on the wide receiver. Hill’s talent led the Jets to take him in the second round of the 2012 draft, but he was never able to come close to what was expected of him. After two disappointing seasons, the Jets cut Hill prior to the 2014 season. Soon after, the Panthers added him to their taxi squad. In July of last year, Hill was issued a citation for a drug paraphernalia charge during a traffic stop in Concord, North Carolina. Despite all the bumps in the road, the Panthers are apparently not ready to give up on Hill.
Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s doubtful that the Panthers are committing serious dollars to Hill.
RFA Tender Signings & Decisions: 3/7/16
When teams assign first- or second-round tenders to their restricted free agents, or when those RFAs accept the tender, we’ll devote full news stories to those moves. For news concerning everyone else getting the lower tenders, we’ll round it up in the space below, with the latest updates added to the top of the list throughout the day….
- Fullback James Develin announced that he is returning to the Patriots on a one-year deal, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. The Patriots did not plan to tender Develin an offer at $1.6MM, so the two sides worked out a reduced one-year pact (link).
- Defensive tackle Stefan Charles will not be tendered an offer by the Bills, per John Kryk of The Toronto Sun (on Twitter). Defensive tackle Corbin Bryant, wide receiver Chris Hogan, and tackle Jordan Mills were tendered offers, however. There could be some teams interested in Hogan, Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News tweets, and that low tender might not ward of interested clubs.
- Washington has tendered a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Duke Ihenacho, a source tells John Keim of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
- Fullback Jorvorskie Lane will not be getting a tender from the Buccaneers, Greg Auman of The Tampa Bay Times tweets.
- The Panthers will not tender defensive end Frank Alexander an offer or re-sign him, a source tells Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter). Alexander must sit out until November thanks to his third drug suspension.
Panthers To Use Second-Round Tender On Mike Remmers
The Panthers have used the second round RFA tender on starting right tackle Mike Remmers, agent Brett Tessler tweets. GM Dave Gettleman indicated in late February that Remmers would be retained and Carolina has taken a strong step towards that with their decision today. 
The Panthers first acquired Remmers when they signed him off the Rams’ taxi squad in October of 2014. Looking at how he has improved his value since that point, the Rams might regret keeping him on the practice squad rather than the 53-man roster. Pro Football Focus (sub. req’d) rated Remmers as the 43rd best tackle in the league last season, giving him significantly higher marks for his run blocking than his pass blocking.
For more on the Panthers’ offseason plans, check out PFR’s Offseason Outlook for Carolina.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Rumors: Weddle, Raiders, Patriots
Here’s a roundup of the very latest free agent rumors from around the NFL:
- Reiterating that he wants to sign with a team capable of contending for the Super Bowl, free agent safety Eric Weddle tells Peter King of TheMMQB.com that he thinks he has another three to five years left in him. According to King, Weddle spoke fondly of the Patriots, Panthers, Raiders, and Steelers, suggesting those teams could be fits for him.
- Within King’s piece, the MMQB.com scribe notes that rival executives around the NFL expect the Raiders, Jaguars, and Falcons to be among the most active teams in free agency this week.
- “Buzz is building” for running back Bilal Powell, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who writes that the free agent Jet should land a respectable contract this week. Florio notes that all three of the Jets’ division rivals – the Dolphins, Patriots, and Bills – make sense as potential suitors for Powell.
- Washington running back Alfred Morris took to Instagram with a message that appears to be a farewell to the organization. Morris will be a free agent this week. The tailback rushed for 4,713 yards in his four seasons with Washington. This past season, he split duties with rookie Matt Jones and was not a key part of the team’s offense.
- The Colts have former Patriots tight end Scott Chandler in for a visit today, Albert Breer of NFL.com tweets.
Panthers, Mike Tolbert Discussing Extension
The Panthers have been talking with Mike Tolbert‘s agent about a new deal in advance of free agency, according to Rand Getlin of NFL Network (Twitter link). Tolbert is an unrestricted free agent, so his representatives can begin talking with other clubs tomorrow, and he can hit the open market on Wednesday.
[RELATED: Panthers release defensive end Charles Johnson]
A 2015 Pro Bowler, the 30-year-old Tolbert is coming off a four-year contract during which he made $2.5MM annually. He’s an excellent fit for Carolina’s run-based offense, and his ability to handle both running back and fullback makes him all the more valuable. As I wrote in my preview of the Panthers’ offseason, Tolbert seems likely to see a slight pay increase, though he probably won’t garner a four-year term again.
Tolbert isn’t the only Carolina free agent who is projected to hit the open market this week. Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, safety Roman Harper, cornerback Charles Tillman, and punter Brad Nortman are just a few of the players whom the Panthers may see sign with other clubs in the coming weeks. Carolina has almost $29MM in cap space to work with, which currently ranks 14th in the NFL.
For his part, Tolbert ranked as our No. 1 free agent fullback, though PFR’s Luke Adams did note that listing Tolbert among the available fullbacks did seem a little like cheating, given that the Panthers frequently use him at running back as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
FA Rumors: Osweiler, Okung, M. Williams
The big news of the day, of course, was the report that Peyton Manning will officially announce his retirement tomorrow. However, offseason business in the NFL waits for no man, and to that end, here are some notes regarding some of this year’s biggest free agents:
- After Manning’s decision, and with free agency set to officially open on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Broncos‘ negotiations with Brock Osweiler will really begin to ramp up.
- Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that Osweiler may indeed re-sign with the Broncos, but that is far from a certainty at this point. As Schefter observes, other quarterback-needy clubs could make it difficult for Denver to retain the fifth-year signal-caller.
- Even though the Seahawks are interested in retaining him, LT Russell Okung is intent on hitting the free agent market, per Rapoport (via Twitter).
- Rapoport tweets that Mario Williams stayed the night in Miami after visiting the Dolphins, and while Williams has other visits lined up, Rapoport says that Miami could keep him from taking those visits.
- Panthers GM Dave Gettleman does not spend big in free agency, but if he makes an exception this offseason, Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer identifies Eric Weddle and Bruce Irvin as two players that would make a great deal of sense for Carolina.
- Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets that the Texans will be active in exploring the top of the free agent running back market after parting ways with Arian Foster. Wilson names Chris Ivory, Doug Martin, Lamar Miller, and Matt Forte as possibilities for Houston.
- The Eagles will certainly invest free agent dollars and draft picks in their offensive line this offseason, and Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer names Jeff Allen and Brandon Brooks as realistic targets for the club.
- Free agent wide receiver Anquan Boldin, unsurprisingly, wants to continue his career with a title contender, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network (via Twitter).