The benefit for veteran players cut at this point in the NFL calendar is a jump on free agency weeks before the market opens.
The Carolina Panthers released defensive tackle Kawann Short last week. The eight-year veteran told SiriusXM NFL Radio he is already getting nibbles of interest.
"We had a few teams reach out, but none set in stone," Short said. "We're really trying to narrow it down to see what's the best fit for me, the best fit for my family."
Short noted that the Panthers would be interested in a return if the market doesn't bear fruit, and a short-term deal could be worked out.
The former second-round pick has spent his entire career in Carolina, earning two Pro Bowl bids and 32.5 sacks over his first six seasons. The past two years, however, have been injury-riddled. He's played just five games since 2018, compiling 10 tackles and zero sacks.
Given his injury history and age, and the 2021 salary-cap crunch, the 32-year-old is aware he's likely going to have to sign a prove-it deal on the open market.
The ex-Panther understood why the team cut him, given his salary-cap figure was set to be nearly $20 million. Short noted it was "respectful" of the club to cut him early to test the market before free agency.
With NFL teams still waiting for the salary cap to be officially set, even the jumpstart on free agency might not benefit veterans like Short as much as a normal offseason.
