The Carolina Panthers have signed former South Carolina punter Joseph Charlton to a three-year deal, according to the team website.
Charlton (6-foot-5, 190 pounds) averaged 47.7 yards per punt last season for the Gamecocks, up from 44.8 yards the previous year and 43.5 when he was a sophomore.
On the surface, it might seem like signing Charlton is all about giving some competition during training camp for Michael Palardy. The length of the deal indicates the team might have other plans, though. Palardy is only 28 years old and still has two years left on his contract. However, the team can save $2.1 million in salary cap room for 2020 if they cut him before the season begins.
The punting unit was a disaster for the Panthers in 2019, with the team allowing a league-worst 12.18 yards per attempt. That had more to do with poor coverage by the rest of the unit than anything Palardy was doing, though.
By our count there are now 89 players on the roster.
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