The Panthers have released veteran fullback Mike Tolbert.
Tolbert, 31, was named to his third Pro Bowl last season. He spent the last five seasons with the Panthers.
“I feel very fortunate to have coached Mike for nearly his entire career,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said in the team’s announcement of the move. “He was someone we targeted in 2012 because we felt he would be a good addition to our offense and he was very productive for us. He brought great energy and leadership to our locker room and I wish him the best.”
The Panthers signed Tolbert to a two-year deal last March, just before the start of free agency. In his five seasons with the Panthers he had 13 rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns, but his role in the offense shrunk significantly last season as he had just 35 carries and caught 10 passes.
Tolbert played his first four seasons with the Chargers, where Rivera had been the defensive coordinator before becoming head coach of the Panthers in 2011. He’s scored 45 total touchdowns in his nine-year career.