Kawann Short will not be in the Carolina Panthers' plans for the 2021 season. The Panthers released the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle on Tuesday. Carolina cleared $8.6 million in cap space with the move. Short was entering the final year of a contract that included a $12.5 million base salary for the 2021 season.
Short, who turned 32 years old earlier this month, has played in just five games the past two seasons. A partially torn rotator cuff ended his 2019 season after just two games. He played in just three games in 2020 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Bravvion Roy (nine starts) and Zach Kerr (four starts) filed in for Short last season. Carolina's other starting defensive tackle last season was rookie Derrick Brown, who recorded 34 tackles, two sacks and eight tackles for loss in 15 games.
Teams that may be interested in Short's services include the Bills, Packers, Seahawks, Cowboys, Raiders, Jaguars, Bengals and Browns. While he can immediately begin speaking with other teams upon his release, Short cannot officially sign with a new team until March 17, the start of the NFL's new league year.
The 44th-overall pick in the 2013 draft, tallied 280 tackles, 59 tackles for loss, 32.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, and 12 passes defensed in 99 regular-season games (76 starts) for the Panthers. Short's best season was in 2015, when he recorded a career-high 11 sacks to go with three forced fumbles. Short's play helped the Panthers win 15 regular-season games en route to the franchise's second Super Bowl appearance. He recorded 13.5 sacks over the next two seasons before earning his second Pro Bowl berth in 2018.
Along with his production, Short was voted as a team captain on two occasions during his time in Carolina.
"He has everyone's back, and he cares about people," Panthers coach Matt Rhule said of Short last September. "I can't think of a better captain, just in my time of being here. I just have a lot of respect for him. He's got a special way about him."
