Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short wants to remain with the team. He wants to not be discarded the way that cornerback Josh Norman was a year ago. As a result, Short will be inclined to say all the right things about his contractual situation.
On Monday, the thing he said about his contractual situation doesn’t mesh with his current plan of action.
Short, per a league source with knowledge of the situation, won’t be quickly signing the franchise tag, if the team applies it. Short may not sign the tag at all, which means that absent a long-term deal before July 15, Short may not play in 2017.
While few players end up sitting out an entire season in response to being tagged, Short’s mindset is to secure a fair long-term deal. To get one, he realizes that he’ll have to let things play out, possibly with the tag applied to him.
A year ago, Norman refused to sign the tag. After more than a month, the team surprisingly rescinded it, allowing Norman to land a major deal on the open market.
Whether Short gets a major deal from the Panthers or anyone else remains to be seen. However, quick acceptance of the one-year franchise tag isn’t an option, and the Panthers would be wise to not assume he’ll sign it quickly.