NFC South Update
Arguably the league’s best middle linebacker, Luke Kuechly and the Panthers have agreed to a 5-year $62 million contract extension. On the strength of back-to-back seasons being named First Team All-Pro, a complete 3-down linebacker, a tackling machine, and only 24-years-old it’s hard to argue that Kuechly isn’t worth the lucrative extension. The deal has an annual average of more than $12 million a season. The contract makes him the highest paid middle linebacker in the NFL and the annual figure is nearly $2 million more a season than Seahawks’ star linebacker Bobby Wagner. Entering his 4th professional season, Kuechly has never registered fewer than 150 tackles in a season.
In other news:
- OT Nate Solder has signed a 2-year $20.62 million extension with the Patriots;
- G/T Dennis Kelly has signed a 1-year extension with the Eagles;
- The Bills have signed TE Nick O’Leary to the practice squad;
- The Cardinals have signed TE Joseph Fauria; and
- WR Jarius Wright has signed a 4-year $14.8 million extension with the Vikings.
