Kawann Short wants to stay with Panthers, on long-term deal or tag

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short wants to remain a member of the Carolina Panthers regardless of whether it's with a long-term deal or the franchise tag.

He doesn't plan to follow in the footsteps of cornerback Josh Norman, who said the same thing after last season.

"Me and Josh are two different people," Short said on Monday as players cleaned out their lockers after a 6-10 season. "We walk two totally different sides of the street, at two totally different places, in two totally different directions.

"Me and Josh are not the same."

The Panthers placed the franchise tag on Norman, who didn't sign it and didn't report for the start of offseason workouts. General manager Dave Gettleman rescinded the offer in April.

Norman signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Washington Redskins.

"He could have stayed here if he wanted to," Short said.

Norman didn't sign the tag because he and his agents considered that was their best leverage to getting a long-term deal.

But Norman wanted a between $14 million and $15 million a year, and the Panthers weren't willing to pay that. Gettleman ultimately decided he could use the $13.95 million that Norman would have gotten under the tag in other areas.

Signing Short to an extension was one of them, but that didn't happen. Short, coming off a 2015 season in which he led the team in sacks with 11 and was named to the Pro Bowl, was looking for a deal close to the six-year, $103 million contract that Philadelphia gave tackle Fletcher Cox.

Gettleman wasn't willing to pay the $17.1 million a year Cox got, offering closer to $15 million.

Short played under the final year of his rookie deal for $1,473,289 million. He had only six sacks and wasn't selected to the Pro Bowl.

When asked whether he had interest in testing the market this year if the sides aren't close, Short said, "I want to be a Carolina Panther. That's it."

Short said he would be all right with the franchise tag, which has been estimated at $16.9 million in 2017. He also indicated that it would not be his first choice.

"Everybody would like to avoid that," he said. "If it happens, it happens. If it happens, I'm still going to be professional about the situation."