Carolina Panthers: 5 Best Moves So Far in 2016

3: Re-signing Charles Johnson

So Johnson was gone, and then he was back. It turns out that Johnson’s market value was not quite what the big guy might have hoped for. With his highest offer being six million a year, Johnson returned to the Panthers for half of that.

His other choices would have meant playing for less competitive teams. While the Giants might turn things around in the wacky NFC East, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were probably further away. Meanwhile the Panthers had just come off a Super Bowl reaching season that Johnson was quite familiar with.

Johnson also stabilized the line which had become an open question when he was cut. Suddenly the Panthers were looking at Ealy and Mario Addison and who knows in the defensive end rotation. The Panthers may not be done with defensive ends yet, but it was important for depth to have Johnson.

General Manager Dave Gettleman is pretty good at knowing where the foundation of success are: the lines.

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