Why Panthers’ defensive tackle Kawann Short may not be back next season

Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short knows the NFL is a business.

He knows that even though he has been with the Panthers since he was drafted in 2013, they could release him at any moment. He’s an aging player, has missed 27 games in the past two seasons with season-ending shoulder injuries, and he’ll be 32 next month.

“We’re all grown here, so you know what it is,” Short said last week. “It’s a ‘what-can-you-do-for-me-now,’ type of business.”

That, and Short’s salary cap number for the 2021 season is why he may not return next year.

Short, who is the oldest player on the Panthers’ defense, has a $20.8 million salary cap number for the 2021 season. That is second-most on the Panthers’ roster only behind quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who will count $23 million against the salary cap.

In an offseason where the salary cap is supposed to decrease for only the second time in league history because of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing Short back next year on his current salary will be hard to justify. Short’s contract expires in 2022. If the Panthers were to cut him before the June 1 deadline, they would save about $9 million in cap space.

The Panthers have shown in the past that they haven’t been afraid to part ways with longtime veterans. They cut quarterback Cam Newton and tight end Greg Olsen last season to save money.

But the only other option would be to ask Short to take a significant pay cut.

Short was one of two players in 2019 to have their contracts restructured to create $13 million in cap space. That meant his salary cap number was reduced during the early years of his contract and rose significantly during the latter years. Short made $19.4 million this past season.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule said this offseason will be the most pivotal in Panthers’ history and indicated that some tough decisions will be made.

“I think across the league you’ll see people making really austere, difficult, financial decisions, and we’re going to have to do the same,” Rhule said last week. “I think the biggest key for us right now is making determinations about, ‘Hey, who can we attempt to re-sign and can we re-sign them.’ ”

“Dealing with this new salary cap is going to be unprecedented.”

Saving that $9 million in cap space could help the Panthers re-sign players such as right tackle Taylor Moton, who will become a free agent this offseason. Moton was the Panthers’ best offensive lineman this season, and he will likely command a large contract, somewhere in the ballpark of $14 million a year.

“No, I haven’t,” Short said, when asked if he’s heard from the Panthers’ staff about whether they wanted him back next year. “I think that’s a discussion we’ll have in the next couple of weeks.”

“If so, it’s a business so I understand. I’ll take it with a grain of salt if they don’t, or if they do.”

Short ranks seventh among the Panthers’ all-time sack leaders. He has 32.5 sacks in eight seasons at Carolina. The last two seasons were cut short due to injuries. He had a career-high 11 sacks during the 2015 season when the Panthers went to the Super Bowl.

Short had hoped to have a bounce back season in 2020 after suffering a torn rotator cuff in 2019. He was named a team captain for the second consecutive year during training camp and played in three of the first five games as he dealt with a foot injury.

But in the third quarter of the Panthers’ Week 5 game against the Falcons, Short injured his right shoulder and did not return. He was placed on the injured reserve. In three games, Short had six tackles.

Short said he’s feeling better since the injury. And while he’s aware there has been speculation about his future in Carolina, he doesn’t worry about it.

“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there,” Short said. “Right now, I’m still preparing like I’m going to be here next year to help this team win and get us to the playoffs.”