4 injured Panthers players who could bounce back in 2021
By Dean Jones
Kawann Short – Carolina Panthers DT
Kawann Short didn’t see much in the way of notable game time for the Carolina Panthers one year removed from a torn rotator cuff that resulted in an early trip to IR. The defensive tackle needed season-ending shoulder surgery that restricted him to just three contests before the injury bug struck again, which was another bitter blow.
This was an immense disappointment both for the Panthers and the player himself. Short is a relentless force on the interior when firing on all cylinders and it would have been fantastic to see the Pro Bowler paired with No. 7 overall selection Derrick Brown once the former Auburn standout had found his feet.
Short has now played just five times over the last two years. And while there is a big chance he can bounce back if he rids himself of recent problems, it is unlikely to be in Carolina.
The former second-round pick has been a fantastic servant to the Panthers over his career. But the simple fact is it makes no financial sense to keep him around at this juncture.
He is due to count an eye-watering $20.83 million against Carolina’s salary-cap in 2021, which means a saving of $9.82 million if he is released ahead of time. There is a slim chance that both parties can come to a restructuring of some sort, even if it’s probably best if both parties went their separate ways.
If Short does depart as expected, he ends his time in Carolina with 32.5 sacks, 280 tackles, 59 tackles for loss, 87 quarterback hits, 12 passes defended, and nine forced fumbles. He will go down in Panthers’ history as one of their most productive defensive linemen and can look back on his lengthy spell with a tremendous sense of pride.