Brandon

Short

The deal is worth about $4.5 million and includes a $1.5 million signing bonus. Short will compete with Jesse Armstead and Mark Fields for playing time.

The former Giant was a below-average strong-side linebacker for the Panthers.

Carolina will be awfully thin at linebacker with Will Witherspoon also headed for free agency.

The Panthers are healthy as they head to Chicago. Fullback Brad Hoover (ankle) is their one player who is truly questionable.

Carolina cut him because of a high salary in March, but may take him back at a reduced rate to offer depth at their thin linebacker spot.

Cutting Short could leave the Panthers enough room under the cap to re-sign Will Witherspoon. They’d put ‘Spoon on the weak side and move second-year player Thomas Davis over to the strong side. This arrangement would make for one of the NFL’s fastest linebacking crews.