Kawann Short - Pro Football Rumors

Panthers Franchise Tag Kawann Short

February 27th, 2017 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

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.

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?

February 27th, 2017 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

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.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position: Defense

February 24th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL free agency will get underway on Thursday, March 9th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. After looking at offense, we’ll tackle defense and special teams today.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as players who received the franchise tag, aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for 2017:

Edge defender:

The Cardinals have already made it abundantly clear that Chandler Jones will see the franchise tag this offseason, and Melvin Ingram and Jason Pierre-Paul are also candidates to be tagged by the Chargers and Giants, respectively. If the latter two are able to hit the open market unfettered, however, they both figure to break the bank. Ingram, Pro Football Focus’ No. 6 edge defender, could be a fit for both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes, while JPP will be looking for a long-term commitment after signing consecutive one-year deals.

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among the players with youth still on their side, Packers edge defenders Nick Perry and Datone Jones figure to interest different clubs, as Perry is a better match for a 3-4 defense while Jones needs to restart his career as a 4-3 defensive end. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. James Harrison and Charles Johnson, meanwhile, look like good bets to return to Steelers and Panthers, respectively, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

Unlike the edge defender market, the 2017 cadre of interior defensive lineman shouldn’t be overly affected by the franchise tender. Head coach Ron Rivera recently confessed the Panthers will “probably” have to use the tag on Kawann Short, but the rest of the defensive tackles listed here should be able to hit the open market. Of the remaining defenders, Campbell is the best overall player, but given that he’s entering his age-31 season, he may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe.

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Earl Mitchell), and run stoppers (Karl Klug, Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

Linebacker:

As usual, the non-rush linebacker market isn’t exactly overflowing with elite talent, and Dont’a Hightower stands as far-and-away the best player among this group. The Patriots already traded away several of their best defenders, including Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins, an indication that they view Hightower as the best best to stick around long term. Hightower has communicated an openness to the franchise tag, but New England may go in another direction and offer him the transition tender instead.

Coming off a disappointing four-year run with the Titans in 2016, Zach Brown was last year forced to sign a one-year deal with the Bills for less than $1.5MM. That won’t be the case this spring, as Brown finally lived up to his second-round draft status by grading as one of the league’s best ‘backers. Brown especially excelled in pass coverage by using his speed to chase pass-catchers around the field, and in today’s NFL, that’s a skill-set that equals a hefty paycheck.

Kevin Minter has captained the Cardinals defense for the past two seasons, and has indicated he wouldn’t mind following Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to New York. Lawrence Timmons, meanwhile, is talking about a return to the Steelers, but general manager Kevin Colbert admitted an agreement between the two sides could be hard to reach. After years of playing behind Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, A.J. Klein is seeking a starting job, while Mike Morgan and Nick Bellore are more likely to be signed as primary special teamers.

Cornerback:

The Texans are unlikely to use the franchise tag on A.J. Bouye, a decision which sets up the young corner to be the single-most intriguing player on the 2017 free agent market. Only 25 years old, Bouye came out of nowhere to grade as PFF’s No. 3 corner in 2016. But the former undrafted free agent played on less than 900 defensive snaps over the first three years of his career, so he’s going to get paid on essentially one season of production. Bouye earned less than $3MM total during his time with Houston — his next contract could contain five times that amount…annually.

The cornerback market stands as one of the best free agent positional groups this offseason, as strong players permeate the list from top-to-bottom. Trumaine Johnson faces an outside shot of being franchise-tagged, but if he hits the open market, he’ll likely be aiming for a contract similar to that of his former Rams teammate Janoris Jenkins (five years, $62.5MM). Elsewhere among corners, Stephon Gilmore is a more high-profile name than Logan Ryan, but Ryan has simply played better over the last few campaigns, and offers a more dependable output.

Morris Claiborne is a former first-round pick but didn’t play like it until last season. Dre Kirkpatrick is a former first-round pick but has never played like it. The rest of the cornerback list has warts, as well: Prince Amukamara has dealt with injury, Kayvon Webster has only two career starts, Terence Newman is entering his age-39 season, and Sam Shields is coming off multiple concussions. All of these players offer upside, but they are all undoubtedly attached to risk.

Safety:

The Chiefs are working to re-sign Eric Berry, but if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Kansas City will likely employ the franchise tag for the second consecutive season. The only problem? Berry is adamant that he won’t play under the tag again, even though it would guarantee him a one-year salary of nearly $13MM. Realistically, Berry won’t have any choice but to sign the tender — given that he’s already 28, he can’t afford to sit out the season and risk hitting the open market at close to 30 years old.

Tony Jefferson, meanwhile, is expected to hit free agency, and could be the second-highest paid safety in this class behind Berry. Jefferson did reach the free agent market in 2016 as a restricted free agent, but he didn’t come with draft compensation attached. Any club could have signed him to an offer sheet, and if the Cardinals declined to match, would have acquired Jefferson scot-free. No team did so, which could be an indication that Jefferson’s 2016 market could be less robust than expected.

Also working against Jefferson is the fact that he plays close to the line of scrimmage, a role that’s relatively easy to fill, as Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus explained on a recent podcast. Duron Harmon, on the other hand, has demonstrated an ability to play deep safety, and thus could be in for a surprisingly high salary. The Cowboys’ Barry Church is “solid at everything, great at nothing,” tweets Andy Benoit of Sports Illustrated, while Jonathan Cyprien and T.J. McDonald are primarily run defenders. Darius Butler may be the most fascinating case among this list of safeties, as the former corner should theoretically offer above-average coverage skills.

Kicker:

The Seahawks don’t figure to re-sign Steven Hauschka after bringing in fellow kicker Blair Walsh, but the longtime Seattle placekicker should be able to quickly find a new home in free agency. Nick Novak attempted the second-most field goals in the NFL last season after many Texans’ drives stalled, while Robbie Gould filled in admirably for the Giants after they released Josh Brown, converting of all ten of his field goal attempts.

Nick Folk was released as a cap casualty, and still has the talent to become another club’s kicker, while Mike Nugent — cut by the Bengals at midseason — may be nearing the end of the road after missing six extra points. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Phil Dawson come back for a fifth season with the 49ers, but Greg Zuerlein could move on from the Rams after the club threatened to bring in competition last offseason.

Punter:

Jeff Locke, 27, managed to pin opposing clubs inside the 20-yard line 34 times in 2016, good for fifth in the league. Britton Colquitt isn’t quite the punter that his brother, Dustin, is, but he found a new club soon after being cut last season and should do so again in 2017. Now 40 years old, Shane Lechler is a seven-time Pro Bowler, but the Texans lost 12.7 points of field position on punts last season, meaning Houston could go in another direction at punter.

2017 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 15th, 2017 at 10:01am CST by Zachary Links

Starting today, NFL teams will be able to place franchise and transition tags on potential free agents for the first time. While the window for franchise tags is open, most clubs won’t actually tag any players right away.

As our list of important dates for the 2017 offseason shows, the deadline for teams to assign those tags doesn’t come until Wednesday, March 1st. Usually, when it comes to NFL contract discussions, deadlines spur action, so teams will wait until that deadline approaches to officially use franchise tags, once it becomes clear that they won’t be able to strike a longer-term deal yet with their respective free-agents-to-be.

Even though the action might not heat up for a couple more weeks, it’s worth taking a closer look at what to expect during 2017’s franchise tag period. The NFL hasn’t officially announced the salary cap figure for 2017, but former agent Joel Corry of CBSSports.com recently projected the 2017 franchise tag salaries based on a presumed $168MM cap. Here are the expected non-exclusive franchise tag amounts:

Quarterback: $21.395MM
Running back: $12.377MM
Wide receiver: $15.826MM
Tight end: $9.894MM
Offensive line: $14.444MM
Defensive end: $16.955MM
Defensive tackle: $13.468MM
Linebacker: $14.754MM
Cornerback: $14.297MM
Safety: $10.961MM
Punter/kicker: $4.863MM

(For a refresher on the characteristics of the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags, as well as the transition tag, be sure to check out PFR’s glossary entry on the subject.)

Here’s our look at the most likely candidates to be tagged, along with several more outside possibilities:

Virtual Locks:

Chandler Jones, DE, Cardinals: Maybe Jones should headline a category titled “Super Duper Virtual Locks.” In January, coach Bruce Arians said that the Cards would apply the franchise tag to Jones if they were unable to immediately lock him up to a long-term deal. Then, just this week, Cardinals president Michael Bidwill offered additional confirmation of that plan. The $16.955MM tag will be applied to Jones in the next couple of weeks and the two sides will then have until the summer to work out a long-term deal. The odds of a longer pact coming together seem pretty good, considering the Cardinals knew what they were getting themselves into when they traded for Jones last year.

Kawann Short, DT, Panthers: Panthers head coach Ron Rivera admits that Short will “probably” be tagged and, unlike ex-teammate Josh Norman, Short doesn’t have a problem with it. The 28-year-old was the third-best defensive tackle in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus, and the Panthers will gladly pay him ~$13.5MM on a one-year deal. A multi-year agreement could require an average annual value of $17MM, so our early guess is that Short will wind up actually playing on the tender.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers: We’ve known for a while now that the Steelers will use the franchise tag on Bell. For all of his off-the-field headaches, Bell still stands as one of the league’s most dynamic running backs and a one-year, $12.3MM deal would suit Pittsburgh just fine. Sometime after the tag is in place, we’re expecting the two sides to agree on a long-term deal. As I wrote in our most recent edition of the Free Agent Power Rankings, Bell will top LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees on a new multiyear pact. Of course, other factors such as cash flow will be pivotal in talks, particularly given the limited shelf life of running backs.
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Strong Candidates:

Eric Berry , S, Chiefs: Last offseason, everyone expected the Chiefs and Berry to quickly hammer out a multiyear contract. Ultimately, however, the July deadline came and went and he wound up playing on the franchise tag. This time around, Berry says there’s no way he’ll agree to the tag again. If the Chiefs and their franchise player can’t meet in the middle, things could get ugly this summer. A second tag would cost KC $12.967MM.

Dontari Poe, DT, Chiefs: Signing Berry to a long-term deal without tagging him would have the added benefit of allowing the team to use the tag on Poe. Berry doesn’t want the tag, but Poe would probably be open to it since the $13.468MM salary would more than double his 2016 income. Any way you slice it, the Chiefs are going to be tight against the cap, but they can carve out about $17MM by cutting Nick Foles and Jamaal Charles this offseason.

Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Giants: After his fireworks accident two years ago, the Giants re-upped Pierre-Paul using the franchise tag. Despite the many doubters out there, JPP managed to perform in his injury-shortened season. The following year, JPP was handed yet another one-year deal from the Giants and, once again, he came through. He’s down one-and-a-half digits, but he also has one-and-a-half seasons of strong football after his mishap proving that he is an elite edge rusher. Pierre-Paul won’t want another prove-it deal, but the Giants may find that the one-year, ~$17MM tag is the most prudent move.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Redskins: The Redskins tagged Cousins at $19.95MM last season, so a repeat tag would cost them $23.94MM. If they go that route, they’re likely to use the non-exclusive tag on the QB, according to one Redskins beat writer. That means that Cousins could be stolen away by another club desperate for quarterback help (like the 49ers or Browns), but it would cost them two first-round picks. There has also been talk of a tag-and-trade scenario, but that sort of thing is more suited for the NBA.

Toss Up:

A.J. Bouye, CB, Texans: How exactly should the Texans approach negotiations with Bouye? A relative no-name for the first three years of his career, Bouye exploded in 2016 and wound up as a top cornerback in the NFL. A one-year, $14.297MM tag could keep Bouye away from free agency and give the Texans another year to better evaluate the former UDFA. Still, that would tie up a ton of cap room for a team that has multiple areas to address. It’s possible that the Texans could sell Bouye on playing it safe and taking a below-market multiyear deal with healthy guarantees in the first two seasons.

Terrelle Pryor, WR, Browns: Last month, one report indicated that the Browns are “very likely” to place the estimated $15.826MM franchise tag on Pryor. With the most cap space in the league, the Browns can easily afford to tag Pryor, but both sides would prefer a long-term deal. Recently, the Browns ramped up their efforts to get something done with the Ohio State product and agent Drew Rosenhaus. The Browns will tag Pryor if necessary, but we’re not sure it’ll get to that point.

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Rams: Last summer, the Rams felt they could keep only one of their two standout cornerbacks and they went with Johnson over Janoris Jenkins. Johnson remained with the team under the franchise tag and had a good year, though not a great one like Jenkins had with the Giants. Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com recently told us that he expects the Rams to do “whatever it takes” to keep Johnson in the fold, and that could include an expensive repeat tag. At the same time, the Rams would greatly prefer to work out a multi-year deal that doesn’t zap their cap in 2017.

Melvin Ingram, LB, Chargers: Ingram is No. 4 on our Free Agent Power Rankings, but he might be the best player with a realistic chance of hitting the open market. The Chargers have a lot of holes to fill as they gear up for their first season in L.A. and they might not be able to afford Ingram at a $14.754MM salary. We’re expecting this late bloomer to explore the waters of free agency and potentially swim elsewhere.

Long Shots:

Dont’a Hightower, LB, Patriots: Hightower is a heck of a player, but a one-year, $14.754MM deal is a whopping price to pay for an inside linebacker. Would the Patriots go that far to keep one of their defensive anchors? It’s possible, but it seems more likely that the two sides will shake hands on a long-term deal before the March 1 deadline.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears: When the Bears used the tag on Jeffery last year, the feeling was that he would have to turn in a full, productive season in order to get his big payday. Instead, the Bears saw another so-so season from their star wide receiver that only spanned 12 games thanks to his four-game PED ban. A second tag would cost $17.5MM and we can’t see the Bears going that route, unless they think they can swing a tag-and-trade.

Stephon Gilmore, CB, Bills: Gilmore has said that he doesn’t want to be hit with the franchise tag, so his placement in the long shot section should make him pretty happy. Here’s what didn’t make the Bills happy – a mediocre 2016 which made some worry that the former first-round pick has regressed. We’re not expecting the Bills to use the one-year,$14.297MM tender on Gilmore, but nothing can be ruled out since the front office always finds a way to surprise us in Buffalo.

Portions of this post have been modified from an earlier post by PFR editor emeritus Luke Adams.

Panthers HC: Short Will “Probably” Be Tagged

February 2nd, 2017 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Kawann Short is scheduled for free agency, but the odds are not in favor of him actually getting there. Panthers head coach Ron Rivera admits the Panthers “probably will have to tag” him, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Since making those comments on ESPN, Rivera has clarified his comments, saying only that the tag is an option, not necessarily imminent (Twitter link via Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer).

However, my feeling is that this a matter of semantics. The Panthers have likely already huddled up and decided that they will not let Short get near free agency. That means a franchise tag is in Short’s future if a long-term pact cannot be reached.

Short is ranked No. 3 on PFR’s most recent edition of the Free Agent Power Rankings. Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Short is on record as saying he’s okay with signing the franchise tender.

Short, who turns 28 today, 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.

Thanks to the deals signed last summer by Fletcher Cox and Muhammad Wilkerson, Short’s asking price has likely increased. 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.

Placing the franchise tag on Short should cost Carolina approximately $13.468MM in 2017.

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings 2.0

January 31st, 2017 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

For 30 of the NFL’s 32 teams, the offseason is already underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the early January edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): Cousins may not be the best player on this list, but he will come away with the most guaranteed money of any free agent this offseason. Quarterbacks are perpetually in high demand and short supply and as a result Cousins could become one of the league’s three highest paid signal callers. Because Washington has already used the franchise tag on Cousins, a repeat would cost them a whopping $23.94MM for 2017. The belief is that Cousins is seeking that $23.94MM number as an AAV goal. There has been talk of the Redskins shopping their star QB, but the team has since publicly stated its intention of locking him up to a long-term deal.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Jones has been an absolute stud ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. If we go by the numbers at Pro Football Focus, 2016 was actually Jones’ best year to date. This past season, he finished out with a strong 87.4 overall score, tying him for seventh amongst all edge rushers with Houston’s Whitney Mercilus. In the previous four seasons with New England, Jones averaged a 79.38 on PFF. Every team could use a sack machine like Jones, but coach Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. He’s technically ticketed for unrestricted free agency, but it doesn’t sound like Jones is going anywhere.

3. Kawann Short, DT (3): Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short says he won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short in early January. In 2016, he turned in his fourth straight 16-game season and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender. Short, 28 this week, also had six sacks on the year. I think the Panthers would be wise to hit Short with the ~$13.468MM franchise tag or sign him to a long-term deal, but there is at least a non-trivial chance of him reaching the open market.

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings

January 6th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The regular season is over and, for most teams, the offseason is underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the November edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): In 2015, Cousins established himself as a solid NFL quarterback. That summer, the Redskins told Cousins they wanted him to prove it all over again before giving him a monster contract. Cousins was happy to oblige and he has now increased his value even further. After a so-so start to 2016 season, Cousins closed out strong to finish as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 ranked QB, putting him ahead of notables such as Matthew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill, Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Newton, and Philip Rivers. All of those players have gotten their big pay day and now it’s time for Cousins to join the club.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Before you start salivating over the idea of Jones joining your favorite team’s front seven, we have some bad news: Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. Whether it’s on a one-year, $16.955MM deal or a multi-year contract that tops Olivier Vernon‘s Giants deal, it sounds like Jones is staying put. Jones, 27 in May, played in all 16 games this year and racked up 11 sacks.

3. Kawann Short, DT (4): Contract talks between the Panthers and Short stalled last summer and Fletcher Cox‘s market-boosting deal with the Eagles didn’t help matters. Short wound up playing 2016 for peanuts ($1.473MM) and he turned in yet another stellar season. Short was the fourth-best interior defender in the league this season, per Pro Football Focus, and his 87.7 overall score was roughly the same as his 2015 mark, even though he had five less sacks. In June, it was said that the Panthers did not want to go too far beyond an average annual salary of $15MM. If he’s not franchised tagged or signed to a long-term deal by Carolina, there are a few teams that will happily go beyond that point.

Extra Points: Panthers, Ravens, Saints, Pats

January 3rd, 2017 at 10:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him, he told the Associated Press. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short, who was unable to reach a long-term deal with the Panthers last offseason. On Norman, whom Carolina let go last April after he wouldn’t sign the tender, Short commented, “Me and Josh are not the same. … He could have stayed here if he wanted to. He could have (signed) the franchise tag.” The durable Short just wrapped up his fourth straight 16-game season, one in which the 27-year-old ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender and totaled six sacks. Placing the franchise tag on Short should cost Carolina approximately $13.468MM in 2017.

Panthers, Kawann Short Still Talking

August 30th, 2016 at 12:28pm CST by Zachary Links

It appears that we may have a positive development in the contract talks between the Panthers and defensive tackle Kawann Short. Panthers GM Dave Gettleman says that the team is still talking to Short about an extension, despite previous word that things had stalled (via Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer).

Short has been working on a new pact with Carolina for some time now. This offseason, Short’s asking price likely went up when Fletcher Cox and Muhammad Wilkerson cashed in with their respective teams. Carolina would like to re-up Short at roughly $15MM per year, but it will probably take an AAV of ~$17MM to get something done based on how the market looks now.

The 27-year-old Short broke out last season, his third in the NFL, in leading the NFC champions’ top-tier defense in sacks (11) and forced fumbles (three). Short, who turned in his first 16-start campaign, also graded eighth in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 123 qualified interior defensive linemen. By any measure, he was in the same class as Wilkerson and Cox and other elite defensive linemen in 2015.

Short is set to make just over $1MM this season, the final year on his rookie deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Panthers, Kawann Short

August 24th, 2016 at 7:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short revealed Wednesday that he and the team aren’t progressing toward a contract extension, telling Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer, “No update as of right now. We’re still taking the time. We still have until the regular season starts, so hopefully we’ll have a decision by then.”

Short does seem optimistic about him and the Panthers reaching a deal, though, despite a report two weeks ago that stated talks between the two sides were “effectively dead.”

“I feel good about it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I still have to come out here and play no matter the situation,” said Short.

Whether by the regular season or sometime before free agency next winter, head coach Ron Rivera expects Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman to lock up Short.

“Somewhere along the line they’ll get together and they’ll figure it out,” said Rivera. “He’s too important a player for us, and KK likes where he is. We’ll see how it all unfolds.”

For Rivera’s hope to become a reality, the likelihood is that the Panthers will have to markedly increase their offer. As Jones notes, Carolina would like to re-up Short at roughly $15MM per year. However, considering what fellow standout defensive linemen Fletcher Cox (Eagles) and Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets) signed for earlier this summer, it might take in the $17MM annual range for a Short deal to come to fruition. Cox, Pro Football Focus’ 10th-ranked interior defensive lineman last season, landed a six-year, $103MM extension featuring upward of $55MM in guarantees in June. A month later, Wilkerson – No. 11 on PFF’s list – secured a five-year, $86MM pact with $53.5MM guaranteed for injury.

Short fared similarly to both Cox and Wilkerson in 2015, when he started all of NFC champion Carolina’s games and rated as PFF’s eighth-best interior D-lineman. Along the way, Short led the Panthers’ defense in sacks (11) and forced fumbles (three). That represented a breakout for Short, a 2013 second-round pick from Purdue who combined for nine starts, five sacks and two forced fumbles during his first two seasons.

In the event the Panthers and Short don’t find common ground by next winter, the club would have the option of retaining his rights via the franchise tag. The current cost to tag D-tackles is $13.651MM, which should increase. Nevertheless, something in that neighborhood would be a reasonable sum for Short if he continues serving as a dominant force in the middle of Carolina’s defense.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.