Mario Addison, defensive end
Unless you’re a fan of the Carolina Panthers or just watch them play a lot, you probably don’t know who Mario Addison is. And you shouldn’t feel bad about that. Addison was originally an undrafted free agent out of Troy who spent his first two NFL seasons bouncing around four different teams and earning just one start.
He then caught on with the Panthers in 2013 and finally stuck. The past three years, he’s been a situational pass-rusher for Carolina, racking up 22 sacks, including 11 this past season.
He’s gotten better each year he’s been in the league, and at the age of 29 it’s about time Addison — a guy who’s earned just over $5 million in six years — got paid for his efforts.
Carolina is starved for talent on the edge and could try to keep Addison from hitting the open market in March. He’s going to want to find a landing spot where he can be a featured player and starter, and he’s going to want some guaranteed money coming his way. The Panthers need him to stay but perhaps might be more inclined to pay Kawann Short, who is a beast inside (more on him later) and/or pay for talent on the offensive line.
This means Addison very well could become a coveted free agent, in which case he’ll have the best chance to make some big money.