Kawann Short hit with franchise tag by Carolina Panthers
By John Buhler
The Carolina Panthers have wisely decided to use their franchise tag on dominating defensive tackle Kawann Short.
Several NFL teams have some decisions to make in the next couple of days. Some teams need to figure which player on their roster, if they have any, that are worthy of getting placed under the franchise tag.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Carolina Panthers will use the 2017 tag on defensive tackle Kawann Short. This potential one-year deal with Short will cost the Panthers close to $13.5 million for 2017.
And now, Panthers officially have tagged Kawann Short, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2017
Panthers general manager David Gettleman had $53,548,149 worth of cap space to improve the Panthers. That salary cap total had the Panthers in the top-10 of all NFL teams. Using a good chunk of that to re-sign Short on a one-year deal was easily the right call for Gettleman to make.
Short is a difference maker up front on the Carolina defensive line. When he is playing at a halfway decent level, the Carolina front-seven becomes one of the best in the NFL. However, he has shown at times where his production disappears, causing Carolina to become lackluster defensively.
Choosing to franchise tag Short likely means that Gettleman and Panthers head coach Ron Rivera have decided that Short is the building block they’ll need up front going forward over Star Lotulelei. Carolina used a first-round pick on Lotulelei out of Utah in 2013. He hasn’t been nearly as dynamic at defensive tackle as Short has during the same time frame.
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It is important that Short plays at a high level again in 2017. He was a Pro Bowler in 2015, but was slightly less than that in 2016. For the sake of a long-term investment, Short must show the Panthers brass that he is worth it and not a one-year wonder.