The Panthers and offensive lineman Austin Corbett gave themselves a bit more time to talk about a possible contract extension.
Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer confirmed an Over the Cap report that Corbett and the team agreed to delay the void date on his contract to just before the start of the new league year next month.
If Corbett does not sign a new deal before the start of the new league year, the Panthers will incur a dead cap charge of $7.766 million. A new deal would likely reduce that cap hit and give Corbett a chance to show he’s back to health.
Corbett has seen time at guard and center, but he’s been limited to nine games over the last two seasons by a knee injury and a torn biceps. He started 50 straight games for the Rams and Panthers over the three previous seasons.
The Panthers have let go of a veteran player.
Cornerback Dane Jackson has been released, the team announced on Friday.
Jackson, 28, appeared in nine contests with three starts for the Panthers in 2024. He was on the field for 43 percent of defensive snaps in games played. He ended the season with 23 total tackles and two passes defensed.
Jackson had one year remaining on the two-year deal he signed with Carolina. The Panthers will save $3.5 million against the cap with $2.5 million in dead money by releasing him.
A Bills seventh-round pick in 2020, Jackson has appeared in 61 games with 31 starts in five seasons. He’s recorded three career interceptions with 30 passes defensed.
Former Panthers quarterback Cam Newton created a stir by saying he entered a “locker room full of losers” when he arrived as the franchise’s No. 1 overall pick in 2011.
That was also Ron Rivera’s first year as Carolina’s head coach, with the club coming off a 2-14 season in 2010. Rivera said in a recent interview with Joe Person of TheAthletic.com that Newton could have been more tactful with his words.
“Sometimes things are better left unsaid,” Rivera said. “And I’d loved to have seen him be a little more diplomatic. Just because a lot of those guys on that 2010 team became some of those guys that went to the Super Bowl in 2015. It’s unfortunate he made the comments and now he’s just gotta live with them and own up.”
Rivera was Carolina’s coach from 2011-2019, going 76-63-1 — highlighted by a 15-1 2015 season that finished with a loss to the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. He then was Washington’s coach for four seasons, going 26-40-1 with the franchise with one postseason appearance.
The Panthers have lost an assistant coach to the Jaguars.
Carolina assistant offensive line coach Keli’i Kekuewa no longer is listed on the team’s website. He is expected to join the Jaguars’ coaching staff in an unspecified role, Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer reports.
Kekuewa joined the Panthers a year ago and worked with Joe Gilbert and Harold Goodwin as the three turned around the team’s offensive line.
Kekuewa previously worked for the Seahawks. Kekuewa was an offensive assistant in 2020 before becoming the assistant offensive line coach for three seasons.
The Panthers have announced their full coaching staff for the 2025 season.
Head coach Dave Canales added four assistants to the stable and three returning coaches have new titles. The latter group includes senior coaching advisor Jim Caldwell and assistant quarterbacks coach/pass game specialist Mike Bercovici.
Bercovici joined by newly hired offensive assistant Keyshawn Colmon on an offensive staff headed up by offensive coordinator Brad Idzik. Assistant head coach/run game coordinator Harold Goodwin, offensive line coach Joe Gilbert, quarterbacks coach Will Harriger, tight ends coach Pat McPherson, wide receivers coach Rob Moore, running backs coach Bernie Parmalee, and offensive quality control coach Dean Petzing.
Outside linebackers coach AC Carter, secondary coach Renaldo Hill, and defensive assistant Kevin Peterson were hired since the end of the 2024 season and Mayur Chaudhari will now be the assistant linebackers coach. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, senior defensive assistant Dom Capers, defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley, linebackers coach Peter Hansen, and defensive line coach Todd Wash.
Tracy Smith will be the special teams coordinator and Daren Bates is the special teams assistant. Director of coaching development and culture Scott Cooper, game management coordinator George Li, head coach assistant/coaching operations manager Jessica Beckenstein, coaching assistant Ilir Emini, vice president of player health and performance Danny Kellington, and director of performance Josh Hingst round out the staff.
