Charles Johnson officially signs 1-year, $3M deal

[KB_fan]

Well CJ was correct in his tweet.  This is INDEED  "EPIC" news.  Wow.  I'm impressed at both CJ and Gettleman.  This is a great deal for the Panthers. 

• Keep a vet leader & team captain. 
• Don't need to approach FA in "desperate need" for another proven starter at DE opposite Ealy
• Save 8 million in cap space.
• Helps CJ motivated to play - "prove something" - if he wants a future contract.
• Feel good story for the Panthers as an organization and the team.  This will only strengthen team unity having a big player turn down 3 million to stay in this locker room.  His teammates now know CJ wants to play with them and for them, not for the $$$

YES.  EPIC.

Thanks CJ,  Thanks DG.   It's great to be a Panthers fan!

[PandaPancake]

Was this just a massive troll job by CJ and DG?

We'll never know.

[TheRumGone]

1 hour ago, thebigcat said:

Lol at our huddle Schefters who called Johnson names and labeling him as selfish when nobody had any idea of the inside scoop

What happened to those posts a month ago about how it was "cringeworthy" seeing CJ on the stage after the NFC championship game?

 

anyway, this is really rare. Fans should show support to him this upcoming season. Let him know that the fans know what he did. Once again showing his leadership. Career Panther.

[iamhubby1]

6 hours ago, thomas96 said:

Wow, I didn't realize how good of a postseason he had.

 

 

Other things happening in all those games (KK, Luke vs Seattle, offensive dominance vs. Arizona, Ealy vs. Denver) made him kind of under the radar but he was pretty damn dominant in the playoffs. I of course remembered his forced fumble (maybe even both) in the Super Bowl and he had some nice pressure but forgot how good he was in the other two games. Hopefully he can build off of that this year since he was piss poor since coming back in the regular season last year.

 

I was saying that we needed to add a Vet DE that could produce, as well as mentor. I never thought it would be CJ. If he is healthy. He makes us better. Teams have to game plan for him. He was finally healthy in the Playoffs, and it showed. With a whole off-season, he should be back to normal. Can't wait.

 

6 hours ago, PhillyB said:

very true. easy to gloat over gettles but it's pretty amazing CJ loved the team enough to take a real hometown discount. we talk about that sort of thing but it never actually happens, and here CJ just threw 3m down the drain to play for the city he loves.

i can't wait to watch him ball out this year.

 

 

Even with as much as he has made through the years. Leaving 3mil on the table is note worthy. DE is now taken care of. Let's get to work on those DT and NB spots. OK. A Safety if it happens would be nice as well. But that's it.

 

5 hours ago, firefox1234 said:

I hope JNo takes note, take a slight pay cut to play for a winning franchise and improve your brand!

 

Easier for CJ to leave a few million on the table. He already got his big contract. Josh is still waiting on that first big deal. From us, Josh is probably looking at 4 years, close to 45mil, with 20-25 guaranteed. On the open market. He could be looking at closer to 60mil, with 30-40 guaranteed.

 

That is a lot of money for Josh to leave on the table to stay here.

 

4 hours ago, TheNewStandard said:

I'm still holding out hope that Big Frank will be ready to actually play and has somehow developed (at least in his mentality and has kept up with his work-out/weight conditioning in his extended rehab.) He could be an x-factor and this will be what equates to his contract year.

 

Frank is not going to be available until sometime in Nov. He is on suspension. Not really sure if we will ever see him in a Panther uniform again. Too bad too. He may have been in a position to help us this year. He would defiantly have a shot at significant playing time.

[KB_fan]

This is just great!

 

 

[KB_fan]

Check out CJ's stats via PFF.  NICE. 

WHAT. A. BARGAIN!  #Gettlemagic

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/03/07/pro-pffs-live-free-agency-news-tracker/

 

Quote

 

Panthers retain DE Charles Johnson on bargain deal

8:58 p.m. ET, Tues., March 8

After cutting Charles Johnson last week to save money, the Carolina Panthers have managed to re-sign the defensive end to a hometown discount. Per Joe Person, it’s a one-year deal worth $3 million, and Johnson turned down more money from other teams. Johnson dealt with a hamstring injury for a large portion of last season that prevented him from having a big contract-year. Still, his +6.7 cumulative run defense grade was the highest of his career. There was a significant drop in his per-snap pass-rushing productivity, but he still finished with an above-average pass-rush grade, and had his best performance when it mattered most—the Super Bowl. Over the previous three seasons, Johnson ranked among the top-11 4-3 defensive ends in pass-rush grade, including as high as second in 2012. Getting Johnson back for one more year is best for both parties; it will give Johnson another shot to have a big contract year as he turns age 30, while the Panthers can keep one of their best defensive lineman for another season. – Matt Claassen, @PFF_Matt

 

 

CJ may not have had a stellar year in rushing the passer, but don't forget another of DG's 3 tenets:

1. Run the ball
2. Rush the passer
3. Stop the run

Yup.  CJ does that.

[KB_fan]

NICE.  Gregg Rosenthal calls the Johnson re-signing "the best bargain of the day" as he rounded up yesterday's free agency news:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000642569/article/what-we-learned-big-names-claimed-before-free-agency

 

Quote

 

Best Bargain of the day

The Panthers released defensive end Charles Johnson last Thursday when he was set to count more than $15 million on the salary cap. They agreed to re-sign him on Tuesday for $3 million, despite getting offers for double that elsewhere. A lot of players say it's not about the money, but Johnson truly meant it. As Johnson showed in the Super Bowl, he still has plenty of snaps left as a solid starter. The Panthers were thin at defensive end if he left, and Johnson ultimately spurned division rivals (Tampa) after visiting with them, just like he spurned a big-free agent offer from the Atlanta Falcons in 2011.

I would rather have Johnson than Mario Williams at any salary, much less at less than half the price.

Johnson staying "home" with the Panthers is a cool story, just like Tamba Hali's contract with the Chiefs.

 

 

And what he wrote about the Dolphins agreement with Mario Williams.....?!?!   LOL!

Quote

4. The Dolphins annually make big news in March, and this year has been no exception. Following Monday's big trade agreement with the Eagles, they doubled down on their strategy of buying medium on big names that struggled elsewhere by signing a two-year, $16 million deal with Mario Williams. Cameron Wake remains in the team's plans, which makes it very hard to imagine they will keep Olivier Vernon. So the Dolphins essentially chose to get older at defensive end with a player whose effort was widely questioned last season. Miami has done this "Offseason Champion" thing before without a lot of success.

 

[KB_fan]

Walter Football loves this news.   This is so cool.  Gettleman gets it done, but HUGE kudos and love to CJ for accepting this deal:

Quote

Panthers re-sign DE Charles Johnson (1 years, $3 million): A+ Grade
This is the best signing of the offseason thus far. Even though free agency hasn't technically begun yet, it'll be very difficult for any team to beat this.

Carolina re-signing Charles Johnson is the very definition of buying low. Johnson was considered one of the NFL's better 4-3 defensive ends heading into 2015. He's coming off a lost season in which he recorded just one sack, however. That definitely wasn't the real Johnson though, as he missed half the year with a hamstring injury and never was the same afterward.

Johnson could've taken more money - other teams reportedly offered him $6 million - but he wisely returned to one of the NFL's top teams. He took less money, but he'll be given more of an opportunity to rebound so that he can obtain a better contract next offseason.

This is an easy A+. I love 1-year "prove it" deals. Johnson will be giving it his all, so the Panthers will stand to benefit from that at a ridiculously cheap price.

Read more at http://walterfootball.com/freeagentsigninggrades.php#ybs0J4D4xe2geZLW.99

[4Corners]

9 hours ago, TheNewStandard said:

I'm still holding out hope that Big Frank will be ready to actually play and has somehow developed (at least in his mentality and has kept up with his work-out/weight conditioning in his extended rehab.) He could be an x-factor and this will be what equates to his contract year.

Team already said frank won't be on team next year. Suspended until early November. frank smoked himself out of the league and ran out of chances with Panthers. 

[Carolina Cajun]

After Mario and JPP got the contracts they did, the DE market got noticably smaller and when you add in the fact that CJ likely left and realized that he wasn't gonna get the "payday" he wanted, he realized that he needed to sign a prove it deal, so why not do it in a place that needs a DE and that he's familiar with.  I think/hope this will lead to a more productive year next year (barring his health).

[Pimpdaddy]

9 hours ago, TheNewStandard said:

I'm still holding out hope that Big Frank will be ready to actually play and has somehow developed (at least in his mentality and has kept up with his work-out/weight conditioning in his extended rehab.) He could be an x-factor and this will be what equates to his contract year.

...Smoke da weed, not the seed...

[Zaximus]

I assume CJ had a number in his mind where it would be hard to not take.   Probably had confidence in himself, decided a few mill wasn't worth leaving home for, and he could take a 1-year deal to prove he still has it.   He'll be motivated and we get him back as well.

I'm surprised at this.  I didn't call him names, I would never blame anyone for trying to get the best contract they could, but you don't see this that often in the NFL. 

So now we need some depth at a few positions and maybe someone like Weddle.   I wouldn't mind snagging Boldin for the WR core.

[Adb6368]

So this is what rooting for a winning franchise feels like...

[jdpanther5]