The Carolina Panthers seemed to get through the offseason relatively healthy. But when they report to Spartanburg Thursday, they'll have one fewer body than they had planned.
Offensive tackle Jonathan Martin on Monday made the surprise decision to retire at the age of 25. The news was first reported by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
Even though Martin participated in every offseason workout, he apparently needs back surgery, which would have cost him the entire year. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports, Martin was injured during a recent workout.
The Panthers, who added Martin off waivers in March, had penciled him in as Michael Oher's backup at left tackle. Now the depth and competition Carolina hoped it added this spring has already lost a key piece.
With four days until their first training camp practice, the Panthers could look into adding a free agent like four-time Pro Bowler Jake Long or Gosder Cherilus, who was released Sunday by the Colts.
SPOTRAC'S LIST OF FREE AGENT OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Six tackles remain on Carolina's roster: Oher, Mike Remmers, Daryl Williams, Nate Chandler, Martin Wallace and David Foucault.
Martin's decision to retire comes three weeks before the Panthers host the Dolphins for two training camp practices and a preseason game. The 2012 second-round pick was the central victim in the Dolphins’ 2013 bullying scandal.
Miami traded Martin last offseason to San Francisco where appeared in 15 games at right tackle.
On Twitter Monday night, defensive tackle Charles Johnson appeared to chime in on the day's news:[vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html]
Bill, other than Oher aren’t the other guys all natural right tackles, well, except Foucault (for what that’s worth)? Shouldn’t we be aiming for a left tackle specifically? Foucault is the depth behind Oher and we don’t want that.
All good points, Jason.
So what’s the deal with Long? A 4-time Pro Bowl LT who’s still available at this stage of the offseason seems odd.
Anthony Collins will be signed
Won’t they just wait until the last round of training camp cuts and then pick up the best available?
Long and Cherilus are both dealing with injuries, but both would likely be the starting LT week 1 if healthy.