Panthers sign kicker to long-term contract extension

The Panthers have their kicker of the future. On Wednesday, Carolina announced they signed kicker Zane Gonzalez to a long-term contract extension.

“The Panthers brought back one of the bright spots of last season, solidifying another spot in advance of free agency,” wrote the franchise. “The team on Wednesday agreed to a two-year deal with kicker Zane Gonzalez, securing him before he became an unrestricted free agent next week.”

Moreover, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed the terms of the extension.

“The #Panthers are in agreement on a new deal for kicker Zane Gonzalez for 2 years and $4.5M, source said,” tweeted Rapoport.

Continuing, the franchise highlighted the impressive performance of Gonzalez since joining Carolina.

“Gonzalez hit 17 straight field goals to finish last season, before a freak pre-game quad injury at Buffalo sent him to injured reserve,” highlighted the Panthers. “He hit 20-of-22 field goals after joining the Panthers in Week 2 of the regular season. That 90.9 percentage was ninth in the league among qualifying kickers. He also hit 22-of-23 extra points.

“Gonzalez also became a reliable producer of touchbacks, helping stabilize the coverage game.”

As you can see, the Panthers made it a priority to lock-up Zane Gonzalez before he hit the open market. Now, Carolina has their kicker of the present — and future.

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While Zane Gonzalez’s time in Carolina is just beginning, the days of star running back Christian McCaffrey could be numbered. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Panthers have fielded multiple calls from NFL teams inquiring about McCaffrey.

Jones notes that McCaffrey isn’t on the trade block, but that hasn’t stopped teams from calling about him. And if the Panthers were to trade McCaffrey, they would likely be looking for a substantial package in return.

“If a team wishes to add McCaffrey, I’m told the Panthers would be looking for a first-round pick plus another piece of compensation in order to ship one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the NFL today,” Jones said.

McCaffrey proved to be one of the NFL’s top all-around offensive weapons over the course of his first three seasons in the league. In 2018, he rushed for 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns. Additionally, he added 107 receptions for 867 yards and six more scores. In 2019, he had 1,387 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, adding 116 receptions for 1,005 yards and four touchdowns.

McCaffrey’s strong 2019 season earned him All-Pro honors, and he was also named a Pro Bowler. Following that season, McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million contract extension, making him the highest paid NFL running back on a per-year basis. But since signing that deal, McCaffrey simply hasn’t been able to stay on the field.