A couple days before the start of free agency, the Carolina Panthers took care of a piece of business on their offensive line.

In an expected move, the Panthers put a second-round tender on right tackle Mike Remmers, who's a restricted free agent. He has until Apr. 22 to sign the offer sheet, which is worth $2.553 million in 2016. That's a nice raise from the $585,000 he made as a full-time starter last season.

The Panthers could have saved $1 million if they gave Remmers an original round tender, but since he went undrafted, the Panthers could have lost him without compensation. Because it's the draft pick another team would have to give the Panthers if they signed Remmers, the second-round tender virtually guarantees he'll be in Carolina next year.

Despite his Super Bowl to forget, Remmers was defended by both general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera at last month's NFL combine. Remmers will still be the starter when the Panthers open offseason workouts, but Daryl Williams has a chance to win the job before the start of next season.

Defensive end Frank Alexander and receiver Stephen Hill were the Panthers' two other restricted free agents. 

Alexander, who's violated the league's substance abuse policy three times, won't be back.

Hill would have cost $1.67 million to tender by Wednesday afternoon's deadline. Instead, the Panthers are keeping him around with a cheaper one-year deal. Despite spending 2014 on the practice squad and all of last year on injured reserve with a torn ACL, the Panthers – and quarterback Cam Newton – believe Hill deserves one more shot.