The Carolina Panthers can count on a solid bookend through the middle of the decade.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Panthers and tackle Taylor Moton agreed to a four-year, $72 million contract extension on Thursday. The move also provides for $43 million guaranteed at signing — a welcomed payday for the former 2017 second-round pick from Western Michigan.
The deal also helps the Panthers and Moton avoid the franchise tag. If the deal didn’t take place before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the 6-5, 325-pound tackle would have played the entire season under the tag. Carolina and Moton’s representation would have also been precluded from contract talks until the end of the 2021 campaign.
Moton has been active for every game of his career. Starting in 2018, Moton manned the right tackle spot and has not missed a single start.
Among right tackles, Moton’s $18 million per year is tied with the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson for the second-highest in the NFL. Only the New Orleans Saints’ Ryan Ramczyk has a higher average at $19.2 million annually.