4 ways the Carolina Panthers can replace Kawann Short in 2021

What options do the Carolina Panthers have in their bid to replace defensive tackle Kawann Short in 2021?

Big changes have officially begun on the Carolina Panthers ahead of another busy offseason period. Prolific defensive tackle Kawann Short was released a year ahead of schedule to save the organization $9.82 million in salary-cap space, which was one of the more predictable decisions the franchise will make in the coming weeks.

There is no doubt Short still has plenty to offer at the top of his game. But his lack of reliability over the last two seasons made his release an easy one despite everything he’s given to the Panthers throughout a fantastic spell in Carolina.

The Panthers have had plenty of practice without Short over the last couple of seasons, where he has been on the field in just five games. However, losing such an influential figure within the locker room is another blow to an organization that looks almost unrecognizable from the glory days of the mid-2010s.

This is another riddle that the Panthers need to solve in the coming weeks. Let’s take a look at four avenues they could go down in pursuit of replacing the two-time Pro Bowler long term.

Number 1

Carolina Panthers trade for a DT

This is probably the most unlikely of the scenarios considering the Panthers are looking to make a bombshell move for a quarterback this offseason and will need all the capital they have for this. However, if Carolina strikes out in their attempts to acquire a franchise signal-caller to replace Teddy Bridgewater before the 2021 NFL Draft, trading for a defensive tackle becomes a more realistic possibility.

Much will depend on the finances involved with any incoming veteran, which will need to be at the right price in the current climate. The Panthers have plenty of needs to address in other areas that would take priority before trading for an interior defensive lineman, so this would be an eye-popping move, to put it mildly.