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.
The bowling ball returns!!