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What to Know About Panthers’ Interest in Paul Soliai

Posted on Author Bill VothCategories NewsTags

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As he promised, Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman again sat out the big-name portion of free agency. Now with the second wave underway, Gettleman will sift through what remains looking for a bargain.

The first could come from inside the division.

According to a league source, the Panthers this weekend hosted defensive tackle Paul Soliai, who was cut by the Falcons when the new league year started last week. Due to make $5 million in 2016, Soliai was asked to take a pay cut, but the two sides failed to agree on a number.

Soliai, 32, had his least productive year since 2008 last season. He had just 22 tackles and no sacks before he ended the year on injured reserve with a lingering calf injury.

But here's why the Panthers are interested:

 

He's a True Hog Mollie

 

Think Star Lotulelei is big? He's two inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter than Soliai, who was drafted out of Utah six years before Lotuleli.

The 6-foot-4, 345-pound Soliai spent his first seven seasons with the Dolphins before Atlanta gave him a five-year, $32-million deal on the first day of free agency in 2014.

Like Lotulelei, Soliai is a massive space eater who can attract double teams. He wouldn't be used much in passing situations, but he'd be a big help — pun intended — against the run.

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He Wasn't a Fit For Falcons

 

Soliai, who excelled as a two-gap nose tackle, fell out of favor in Atlanta when new head coach Dan Quinn implemented an attacking 4-3 front last year. That would indicate the Panthers may not be a good fit, either.

But Gettleman doesn't obsess on a system as long as he believes a guy can be coached to play a specific role. Having Soliai back up and spell Lotulelei seems to make sense.

Plus, one of the reasons Soliai didn't fit with the Falcons anymore was a $6.8 million cap hit that would have been the third-highest on the team in 2016, behind only quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones. The Panthers wouldn't have to pay anything close to that.

 

He'd Fill a Need

 

After releasing Dwan Edwards and allowing Kyle Love to become a free agent, the Panthers have just two guys on the roster not named Lotulelei or Kawann Short: Chas Alecxih and Eric Crume.

So he's not forced to reach for a defensive tackle in the draft, even in a year stacked with talent at that position, Gettleman's going to sign somebody. If the Panthers think Soliai can still play and adapt to their system at the right price, he could be a smart signing.

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  • Rachel Patterson

    Hmmmmmmm

  • Panthers/Truth

    This might have been a great signing a few years back, but Soliai’s play has declined each of the last 2 seasons, and I’m not sure he fits with the Panthers At his advancing age, Soliai is more of a stay at home type, rather than providing inside pressure. He might be an OK backup for a year or 2, but his days of being able to play starters minutes may be over. If they can’t sign Soliai (likely because he want’s too much money), then they mmay have to look to a thin NT draft class, but they don’t have enough draft picks to spent 2 on DT’s. I like Vincent Valentine (6’3 5/8″, 329, 33 1/8″ arms, 9 5/8″ hands, 5.19-40, 1.78-10, 4.59-20 yard shuttle, 29″ vertical, 9-2 broad jump), but they would have to pick him in the 5th round. However, Chris Mayes (6’3 1/8″, 338, 34″ arms, 9″ hands, 5.34-40, 1.74-10, 33 bench reps) will probably be available as an UDFA.

    No doubt the Panthers need to find a quality backup for Star, as he only played slightly under 50% of defensive snaps, and that NT’s need to be rotated in and out frequently to stay fresh. The Panthers have no depth of any quality at NT or DT, so the only question is who do they go after. The good news is that this FA DT class is over loaded with depth, just not starting quality DT’s. The best depth option might be to find a good quality player who can backup both Star and Short, and that might be their 2nd round draft pick. That player is DT Chris Jones (6’5 3/4″, 310, 34 1/2″ arms, 10 3/4″, 5.03-40, 1.70-10, 7.44-3 cone, 4.62-20 yard shuttle, 26 bench reps, 29 1/2″ Pro Day vertical, 8-10 broad jump), a big, long, agile player with good speed. He would also provide valuable insurance in case Star or Short leave as FA’s next year. 3 pretty good DT’s to back up Short might drop to being UDFA’s. Connor Wujciak (6’2 1/2″, 291, 33 1/4″ arms, 10″ hands, 4.91-40, 1.70-10, 7.32-3 cone, 4.27-20 yard shuttle, 34 1/2″ vertical, 9-9 broad jump), Joel Heath (6’5 1/4″, 293, 34 1/2″ arms, 10 1/2″ hands, 5.02-40, 1.75-10, 7.44-3 cone, 4.52-20 yard shuttle, 26 bench reps, 33″ vertical, 9-5 broad jump), and Ofomba Kamalu (6’5 1/8″, 295, 35″ arms, 10″ hands, 5.01-40, 1.74-10, 7.32-3 cone, 4.58-20 yard shuttle, 26 bench reps, 8-10 broad jump). As a low cost (minimum) FA, the Panthers might consider DT Mike Martin (6’1 3/8″, 306, now 298, 32 1/4″ arms, 9 1/8″ hands, 4.88-40, 1.69-100, 7.19-3 cone, 4.25-20 yard shuttle, 36 bench reps, 33 1/2″ vertical, 9-5 broad jump, at the 2012 Combine), who was the Titans #82 pick in 2012, and had a good rookie year (OK 2nd season), but they switched to a 3-4 defense in 2014, where he was totally miscast, hardly playing the last 2 seasons.

  • Keoni Pleasants

    With the surplus amount of serviceable, younger DT’s in the draft, why bother on a guy that has underperformed the past few seasons (regardless if he seemed… utilized improperly)?

    • Keoni Pleasants

      Scratch that, I trust in DG more now than ever honestly, I hope it’s a fit.