By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE N.C. (AP) — Taylor Moton is staying in Carolina.
The Panthers announced Friday they’ve given their durable longtime right tackle a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2027 season.
Moton will make $44 million over the next two years including $40 million in guaranteed money, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team typically does not release financial details of contracts.
The deal means the Panthers have all five starting offensive linemen under contract at least through the 2026 season.
A second-round pick in 2017, Moton has been an extremely consistent player in Carolina playing in 129 games with 113 starts. He has missed only three games, all of those last year with an elbow injury, which ended a streak of 104 consecutive starts.
During training camp, Moton got emotional when asked if this might be his final year in Carolina and indicated he wanted to stay.
“All the blood, all the sweat, all the tears, right? I’ve been through so much here; being a Panther means a lot to me,” Moton said on July 30. “The city means a lot to me. I found my family here, I found my son here, you know? So much sacrifice has gone out on the football field, the practice field here at Bank of America Stadium.
“I put so much time, so much heart into it, right? So it’s just crazy, you know, but at the end of the day, focused on finishing this out the right way. If it is, obviously I said I have some good years left, but I have a deep passion for this city, for this organization, for all the guys in the locker room, all the staff, everyone involved in making this thing go.”
Panthers coach Dave Canales is expected to address the move during his news conference on Friday.