4 Panthers players who’ll be glad to see the back of 2020
By Dean Jones
Kawann Short – Carolina Panthers DT
Kawann Short was on a road to redemption this season. The defensive tackle missed most of 2019 with a torn rotator cuff and he was set to be a huge part of a defensive front that was boosted with the arrivals of Derrick Brown and Yetur Gross-Matos in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Short’s partnership with Brown was expected to transform the Carolina Panthers’ run defense, which struggled significantly without him last year. However, the two-time Pro Bowler turned out just three times for the organization this season before another trip to the reserve/injured list with a shoulder problem that required surgery.
This will no doubt bring the end to Short’s career in Carolina. He is set to count a whopping $20.83 million against the salary-cap in 2021 and for someone that’s played five times in two seasons, it’s not financially smart to keep him around.
The Panthers would save around $9 million if they released Short this offseason, which could be put to better use. His frustrating time with injury should not detract from what an outstanding contribution he’s made since being drafted in the second round back in 2013.
But the juice isn’t worth the squeeze anymore.
Short ends his time in Carolina with 32.5 sacks, 280 tackles, 59 tackles for loss, 87 quarterback hits, nine forced fumbles, and 12 passes defended. His talent will dictate the desire for another team to give him a chance and those who saw the lineman dominate in his prime won’t soon forget it.