The Carolina Panthers and guard Trai Turner have come to terms on a four-year extension, which the excited player shared on Twitter Thursday.
Beyond excited today!! Thank you to Mr. Richardson and the Panther family, I'll be a Panther for 4 more years!!! #KeepPounding #SvckaFree
— Trai Turner (@trai_turner) July 20, 2017
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the terms of the deal a while after Turner made his announcement.
Panthers gave Trai Turner a 4-year $45M extension, including $20.5M gtd, per source, averaging $11.25 per year. Next a free agent at 28.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 20, 2017
Originally a third-round pick out of LSU in 2014, Turner has started 41 games for the Panthers and was a big part of the team’s 2015 Super Bowl run.
A better run blocker than pass protector, Turner is still developing at the age of 24. He earned a grade of 72.2 last season by the folks at Pro Football Focus.
Clearly, the Panthers are not going to stop working in the front office after firing Dave Gettleman. The team’s interim general manager Marty Hurney got right to work to make this deal happen just one day after he was brought back for his second tenure with the club after being fired in 2012 following a decade at the helm.
Keeping the team’s young talent together around Cam Newton will be the key to long-term success. This was a positive move in that direction.