Short, the Panthers’ best defensive player, has played at a combined five games over the previous two seasons, because his 2019 and 2020 efforts were cut short by season-ending shoulder surgeries.
He had been heading in the last year of a five-year, $80 million contract that he signed in 2017 following 23.5 sacks throughout a three-year interval. He’s since had just 3 sacks, all in 2018, when he started 14 games.
“We are all developed here, in order to understand what it is,” Short said after this season. “It is a’What-can-you-do-for-me-now,” kind of company.”
Short was put to count 20.8 million from this year’s cap, but by releasing him that the Panthers could save $14.5 million.
