CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Taylor Moton has been a mainstay at offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers since coming into the league as a second-round draft pick in 2017.
So it's understandable that Moton got emotional following Wednesday's training camp practice talking about the possibility of this being his last season in Carolina. The 30-year-old Moton is entering his final year of his contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.
As of yet, Moton has not received an extension.
“I try not to think about it,” Moton said. "I have had some of my best years of my life in Carolina. The city, and being a Panther means a lot to me. I obviously want the years to continue. But if it’s my last year here, I want it to be my best year, the offensive unit’s best year and the team’s best year. I will do whatever I can for it to be the best yet. I’m a little emotional about that.”
Moton has started 113 games for the Panthers (13th most in franchise history). He's played in 129.
Although he's never been selected to the Pro Bowl, Moton has been remarkably consistent, durable and productive. His streak of 104 straight starts came to an end last season in Week 5 when he missed three games with an elbow injury. He recovered to finish the season, and enters year nine “feeling like a rookie” when it comes to his health.
Panthers executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis and general manager Dan Morgan have some tough decisions to make at offensive tackle.
Along with Moton's impending free agency, the Panthers need to decide whether to work out a contract extension with the team's other offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu, a 2022 first-round draft pick and fan favorite as a Charlotte native.
The Panthers picked up the fifth-year option on Ekwonu, but a new contract could mean limiting a potential $17.5 million salary cap hit in 2026.
For now, Moton seems to be the more pressing issue.
“I did see Taylor get a little emotional up here,” Tilis said as he stood behind a podium after practice Wednesday. “That's the hard part of our business that somebody pours their whole life into this like Taylor has and he’s faced with potentially going to a new place next year. But at the same time we are going to make the best decision for the organization. If that means keeping Taylor here, then that’s great. If those two things align, we are open to” re-signing him.
At this point, Tilis isn't feeling any pressure to extend anyone.
He prefers to keep contract talks to the offseason, but the Panthers aren't against to negotiating a deal during the season. The Panthers rewarded running back Chuba Hubbard with a four-year, $33.2 million deal last November.
“Whatever makes the best sense for the Panthers, we’ll do,” Tilis said.
The Panthers still have plenty of time to make a long-term decision on quarterback Bryce Young, who overcame an early season benching in 2024 by showing promise down the stretch with 10 combined touchdowns throwing and rushing and no interceptions in his final three games.
He's under contract through 2026, and the Panthers hold a team option for 2027.
Tilis, who previously worked as the lead contract negotiator in Kansas City, was responsible for getting a 10-year, $450 million extension for Patrick Mahomes in 2020 just months after the QB led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win in just his second season as a full-time starter.
Young, who was 4-8 as a starter last year, still has plenty to prove.
“We had something good going" in Kansas City, Tilis said. "With Bryce, it's just like the (Ekwonu) conversation. Bryce is an ascending player, so I don’t want to sit here and make any kind of promises, any kind of statements about what we’re thinking about for Bryce’s contract or anything like that.”
Tilis said for now it's best that Young focuses on football.
“He needs to focus on being the best version of himself, and the contract itself will get figured out,” Tilis said.
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Steve Reed, The Associated Press
