The Carolina Panthers are expected to land defensive tackle Dontari Poe. This is according to the Washington Post’s Kimberley Martin who initially reported on the news. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later indicated that Poe is receiving a three-year deal worth between $9-10 million per season. Poe played last season with the Atlanta Falcons after spending the entirety of his pro career before than with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Source: Dontari Poe is going to the #Panthers … #Redskins had interest
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) March 15, 2018
The #Panthers are signing former #Falcons DT Dontari Poe to a 3-year deal, source said, worth between $9M and $10M per year. Big signing for Carolina.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2018
Carolina Panthers Signing Defensive Tackle Dontari Poe
Poe was selected 11th overall by the Chiefs in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Memphis. He spent the next five seasons with the team, racking up 201 tackles and 13 sacks over 78 games.
In 2017 Poe left the Chiefs, signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. He posted 39 tackles and two and a half sacks over the course of the season.
Versatile Weapon
Since being drafted in 2012, Dontari Poe has been one of the most efficient run stoppers in the league. He shined in said role with the Chiefs, dominating at the nose tackle position.
With the Falcons hiring former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their head coach in 2015, the team switched to a 3-4 base defense and Poe followed two years later.
Poe hasn’t just been limited to defense, however. He has been used on both sides of the ball throughout his career. While he is often a goal-line decoy, Poe has actually seen touches, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for two others over the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Chiefs.
Poe’s Payday
It was widely anticipated that Poe would command a hefty contract at the start of the off-season, and the market played to his favor. No other premier defensive tackles, let alone nose tackles, ended up as free agents this offseason. The top pass rushers set to hit the market — the Dallas Cowboys Demarcus Lawrence and the Detroit Lions Ezekiel Ansah — both had the franchise tag placed upon them by their respective teams, resulting in an equally dry defensive end market.
