Carolina Panthers: Bring Back Johnson and Tolbert
The Carolina Panthers returned two veterans to their roster today, Charles Johnson and Mike Tolbert.
The Carolina Panthers had two pieces of good news today, the announcement of new deals with Mike Tolbert and Charles Johnson. The news brings back to pieces of the Panthers core that were important to building the Super Bowl contender last year. Each player also returned at a discount to his previous salary.
Johnson was cut not long ago to free up eleven million dollars in cap space. He was due about $ 4 million in guarantees anyway. This way that money does not quite serve as dead money. His new deal is for $ 3 million dollars for next season. That deal is easily more understandable than if the Panthers had taken a risk to get Jason Pierre-Paul, who is being paid ten million for next year with the Giants.
Johnson could easily get a raise next season if he remains healthy and has a productive year. He turned down more money elsewhere to return to the Panthers, a sign that franchise loyalty might mean something. So the question of who replaces Charles Johnson became Charles Johnson.
The Panthers may still make a move to add a younger defensive lineman in the draft to groom, but the position does not look as empty as it did a couple of weeks ago.
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Mike Tolbert also left money on the table to return to the team. Tolbert also came back at a slight discount. He went from making $ 2 and a half million to making just under two million on his current deal. The fullback feels the Panthers have unfinished business.
The league is also not very kind to the fullback position these days. More passing oriented offenses have moved teams toward single back sets or using tight ends in the scenarios when they might have deployed a fullback in the past.
The list of Panthers signees remains small and as long as it does not include Mike Remmers, one would have to think the team may address that issue at the NFL Draft. So far the Panthers are signing value versus the money that is flying around the league from teams like the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The NFL Draft will begin on April 28th. The Panthers are at pick number 30 in the first round since the New England Patriots have no pick.