Carolina Panthers: Making The Right Moves With Kawann Short

The Carolina Panthers do not have to make an immediate move to sign Kawann Short to a new contract.

The Carolina Panthers offseason has consisted of a variety of stories surrounding how this team will rebuild its powerful defense. One of those key pieces is defensive tackle Kawann Short.

Short’s emergence as one of the best lineman in the sport puts him in a compelling position this year that has long-term implications for the Panthers. When looking at the criticism that Panthers GM David Gettleman has received in his handling of Short’s contract, some believe he’s making a mistake not signing him to a lucrative contract. However, Gettleman’s inaction is the right decision at the time.

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Short has proven that he’s a force on the field. Last season he started all 16 games and ended with 11 sacks and 55 total tackles for a loss. He was one of the most consistent aspects of that defensive line which was an intangible benefit of having him on the team. That season was the third year in his rookie contract in which he was paid $436,879 – the same total he’s slated to make this year. But he’s currently locked in the preliminary stages of a contract fight with Gettleman; a fight that can have a number of different outcomes.

If Carolina were to sign him to a long-term deal before the 2016 season starts, they are committing a large amount of financial assets to his role on the team. Other players, such as Kony Ealy are coming up to the end of their contracts and are valuable parts to how well this unit has performed in recent years. Giving Short a larger deal limits their ability to make additional moves across this defense.

The Panthers may have thought about that issue when they drafted Vernon Butler with their first pick this year. Saying that Butler will have the same development that Short has in such a quick span is asking for a lot, but there’s still the potential that he can become an impact player that the Panthers can look to “replace” Short at some point in the future.

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However, Gettleman’s history has shown that he’s willing to wait players out and in this situation he has the time to wait. Short is entering his fourth year and has one additional year on his contract through 2017. Gettleman has the option of putting the franchise tag on Short next year, which gives him time to negotiate and create a new deal that works for both sides. Waiting through this year and not signing Short immediately doesn’t put him in a position in which he loses leverage as quickly as some may think.

Allowing Short to enter this season in a contract year motivates him to put up big numbers which benefits the team as a whole. As the Panthers continue to develop their defensive backfield, having a motivated player such as Short on the front line improves how those behind him will play. This is another reason why Gettleman’s inaction puts the Panthers in a better position than if he was to give him a new contract at this point in time.

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One thing is for sure: Kawann Short is going to get a new contract at some point in the future. Whether the Panthers find a way to keep him or another team breaks the bank to sign him; he’s a talented defensive lineman that has earned this opportunity. Gettleman is making the right decision by not caving to the situation right now. Instead, time will tell who wins the battle for leverage but 2016 has the opportunity to be beneficial for all the parties involved.