Panthers: Four free agent updates
By Tim Weaver
4. Charles Johnson credits Giants GM for return
While this was reported on Monday night it did not become official until Wednesday afternoon.
Charles Johnson was scheduled to count for $15 million against Carolina’s cap in 2016, so the team released him last week in an effort to get some cap relief. Yesterday, he re-signed with the Panthers for $3 million despite getting offers for twice as much with other teams.
What’s new is the story of how he made his decision. Johnson told the Panthers official website that a conversation with Giants general manager Jerry Reese is what convinced him to return to the Panthers, per CBS New York:
“He started as an intern there and now he’s the GM for the Giants… He saw everything that happened — championships and all that. He said he wouldn’t trade that for the world. When he said that, I just thought to myself, ‘I’ve been here the longest… So how can I turn away from my team and the family that’s in Charlotte – how can I turn away?’
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That’s why the Panthers and their fans love him. Football is a funny business.