Carolina Panthers: Luke Kuechly Is Worth Every Penny

The Carolina Panthers finally inked a new deal with one of their most important players. On Thursday the team announced that Luke Kuechly signed a contract extension that is worth $62 million dollars over five years. This contract makes Kuechly the highest-paid middle linebacker in the game. Looking at his contributions for the Panthers these last three years it is clear he deserved every penny.

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At just 24-years of age Kuechly is one of the foundational pieces that Panthers leadership believe will help solidify the team’s future.

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“Luke is one of the best young players in the NFL,” said Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman via SB Nation, “And I’m very excited that the extension is done. Like Cam Newton‘s extension, this contract allows us to do the long-term planning and have the fixed cost that we need to continue to build the best team possible.”

Kuechly’s new contract makes him the third highest-paid linebacker (via Spotrac.com) in the league with a $12.4 million annual salary. Only Justin Houston and Clay Matthews earn more from this position. When breaking down the numbers, Kuechly’s performance is on par with both of these players.

In three seasons Kuechly’s has become the pillar of the Panther’s defensive unit. He seems to take part in every defensive play for the Panthers when he is on the field. Those contributions helped him become a multiple time Pro-Bowl candidate, 2012 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Kuechly holds an interesting distinction of being the first player since Lawrence Taylor to earn these awards in back to back years. His play also earned him the ranking of the ninth-best player in the league by Pro Football Focus in 2014.

Oct 5, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (59) yells out coverage during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers defeated the Bears 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Houston and Matthews are two of the dominant sack machines in the league, but Kuechly shines in being perhaps the best tackler in the game. In three seasons he’s amassed 306 tackles which is more than the combined output of both Houston and Matthews in that same span (262). His contributions positively impacted both the Panthers run and pass defense while opening up opportunities for other players such as Charles Johnson and Thomas Davis.

Another important accolade that deserves recognition is the fact that Kuechly plays at such a high level but remains healthy; which is a major concern for the Panthers at this time. As injuries have ravaged other parts of their team, Kuechly’s past shows that he is a reliable player who will stay on the field. He has been a starter on this roster from day one and has yet to miss a game as his fourth season starts on Sunday.

This contract locks in one of the most important players on the Panthers roster. Along with the new deals signed by Cam Newton and Thomas Davis, the organization has cemented key parts of both their offensive and defensive units.

Luke Kuechly’s contract situation was an important conversation point coming as the off season rolled along. Talks are finally over as the Panthers and their star linebacker have come to terms on this new deal. With it, Kuechly earns a salary worthy of his performance and the Panthers look in a key part of any future success on the defensive front.

Next: The Five Most Important Players for the Carolina Panthers

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