After initial conversations earlier this spring, the Carolina Panthers are currently not talking with defensive tackle Kawann Short about a contract extension.
But hold on.
That's today, or more specifically, that's what Short confirmed Tuesday after the Panthers wrapped up their first OTA practice. That doesn't mean talks won't start up again in June, which according to a league source, is the plan.
"If it happens, it happens. We haven’t focused on that. We’ve still got a lot we need to do," Short said, apparently borrowing "we" to talk about himself like his former teammate Josh Norman often does.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman doesn't negotiate during the season, but as he showed last year, the post-June 1 checkbook can be a big one.
Quarterback Cam Newton became a $100-million man on June 2. Linebacker Thomas Davis was extended on June 15. And while fellow linebacker Luke Kuechly had to wait a bit longer, his new deal was done on Sept. 10.
The Panthers went into the offseason with Short at their No. 1 contract priority. That hasn't changed. They've known the cost of locking in their 27-year-old Pro Bowl tackle will likely start at $15 million a season.
Not surprisingly, when asked about his contract status, the soft-spoken Short said what he should:
"I put myself in a position, but at the same time; I’m not where I want to be. We are not rushing the issue."
Pun intended?
Short's 11 regular-season sacks in 2015 destroyed a franchise record and tied the Rams' Aaron Donald and Bengals' Geno Atkins for most among defensive tackles. What many don't realize is none of those came in the first quarter of the season when Short was generating plenty of push inside. So his 32 quarterback pressures are an even better indication of the disruption Short caused.
It's also easy to forget that Short, who unlike Norman is "part of the core," has been a starter for just a year and a half.
Because he brought in bad habits that gave him a rep as a guy who took plays off at Purdue, Short took time to develop. But since replacing Colin Cole in the starting lineup against the Seahawks in Week 8 of 2014, Short's racked up 13.5 sacks in 25 regular-season games. In his previous 23 games, had 2.5 sacks.
That's why this, about Panthers' first-round pick Vernon Butler, is a scary statement for the rest of the league:
"This guy’s got a bigger step than I had in my first year," Short said.
That could mean a couple of things: Butler's more developed than Short was when he first came to Carolina, or maybe Short believes Butler has a quicker first step. In the three practices open to the media since the Panthers drafted Butler, he's flashed an exceptional get-off for someone who's 6-foot-3, 325 pounds.
So as Short waits for contract talks to restart, he can help coach up Butler. Even if talking really isn't Short's thing.
"I’m going to lead by example," he said. "I’m not a guy that’s going to say too much. I’m going go out there and do what I need to do. Those guys we'll see me working hard and jump onboard and hopefully do the same."