Carolina Panthers re-sign Tre Boston: Grade, reaction and more
By John Buhler
After a year back in Charlotte, safety Tre Boston agrees to a three-year deal worth $18 million to re-up with the Carolina Panthers.
Even though they look to be rebuilding under new head coach Matt Rhule, the Carolina Panthers are opting to bring a key piece of their secondary back into the fold by re-signing safety Tre Boston. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Boston has signed a three-year deal worth $18 million, $9.5 million of it coming in 2020.
Boston was originally drafted by the Panthers in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. He spent his first three seasons in Charlotte, including the 2015 Super Bowl campaign. After the 2016 NFL season, Boston spent a year with the 2017 Arizona Cardinals and the 2018 Los Angeles Chargers before returning to Carolina on a one-year deal in 2019.
Boston provides versatility and a good ballhawking presence in a Panthers secondary that just saw cornerback James Bradberry agree in principle to sign with the New York Giants. It’s a front-loaded deal and one that gives Boston the long-term stability he was hoping for on a new contract.
Here are the contract details, the national reaction and a grade for Boston return to the Panthers.
Contract Details
Per Schefter, it is a three-year deal worth $18 million. An interesting wrinkle in Boston’s new contract is more than half of it will be coming in 2020. He will earn $9.5 million in this upcoming season, which is $3.5 million more than he plans to make on the annual average of this deal at $6 million. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to him entering year three of this deal.
National Reaction
Safety Tre Boston stays with the Panthers on a 3-year deal worth $18M with $9.5m in year one, per @RosenhausSports.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2020
The #Panthers are re-signing S Tre Boston on a 3-year deal worth $18M with $9.5m in year one, per @RosenhausSports.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
Per @AdamSchefter the Panthers have re-signed S Tre Boston
— PFF (@PFF) March 17, 2020
Boston: 13th highest-graded S in 2019 pic.twitter.com/hJJddnSTCx
Tre Boston is staying in Carolina. Gets the long-term deal he was looking for. https://t.co/sNhMSTChiH
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) March 17, 2020
Good for Tre Boston, who gets his longer-term deal with Carolina like he wanted. And that answers the other question - Juston Burris will likely be valuable, versatile depth. Can play FS, nickel, CB, etc. https://t.co/sSSJCVYJo7
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) March 17, 2020
The national perception of this three-year contract is viewed slightly positively. While he wasn’t the best safety in football last season, it seems that the people who cover the Panthers closely are happy Boston was able to secure a long-term deal with the club he’s best associated with.
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Ultimately, this is a good move for both parties. Carolina gets a reliable playmaker in the back-end of its defense for the next three years. Boston has long-term stability. With it being a front-loaded contract, it gives Boston a huge bump in pay initially, while it allows Carolina more flexibility to get out of the last year of the contract should they want to part ways sooner than 2023 free agency.