In the land rush for undrafted free agents that occurs after the seventh round ends (and that actually begins while the draft is still happening), some details get lost in the sauce.
For the Panthers, they didn’t realize that former Washington State defensive tackle Robert Barber is facing a trial on second-degree felony assault charges.
Via Jourdan Rodrique of the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers made the offer on Saturday night, Barber accepted it, and then the Panthers rescinded it once becoming aware of the legal entanglement.
Barber’s trial for allegedly punching a fellow Washington State student at a July 2016 party is due to begin on May 15.
Even if the deal had been finalized, the Panthers could have cut Barber. However, he would have been entitled to keep his signing bonus.