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The Carolina Panthers took a major step toward keeping one of the NFL's top defensive lines together for the long term Tuesday.
Defensive tackle Brentson Buckner agreed to a contract extension that will add four years to his current contract, which was set to expire at the end of the upcoming season. The new deal features a $1.545 million signing bonus and another $750,000 option bonus in March. The additional four years are worth $8.35 million, and Buckner will receive the $1 million in base salary and workout bonuses he already was scheduled to make this year.
"He is a leader on the defensive line and one of the leaders of our team," general manager Marty Hurney said. "We think it's important to get guys like that tied up. That's all part of the plan that we always talk about. We thought he was a guy that it was important to have locked up before we headed into the season."
With Buckner's new deal, three of Carolina's four starting defensive linemen will be under contract through at least 2007. Buckner and defensive end Mike Rucker will be locked up through 2007 and defensive end Julius Peppers is under contract through 2008
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Defensive tackle Brentson Buckner agreed to a contract extension that will add four years to his current contract, which was set to expire at the end of the upcoming season. The new deal features a $1.545 million signing bonus and another $750,000 option bonus in March. The additional four years are worth $8.35 million, and Buckner will receive the $1 million in base salary and workout bonuses he already was scheduled to make this year.
"He is a leader on the defensive line and one of the leaders of our team," general manager Marty Hurney said. "We think it's important to get guys like that tied up. That's all part of the plan that we always talk about. We thought he was a guy that it was important to have locked up before we headed into the season."
With Buckner's new deal, three of Carolina's four starting defensive linemen will be under contract through at least 2007. Buckner and defensive end Mike Rucker will be locked up through 2007 and defensive end Julius Peppers is under contract through 2008
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