Panthers Plan To Pick Up LB Shaq Thompson’s Fifth-Year Option

Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, citing an NFL source, reports that the Panthers plan to pick up LB Shaq Thompson‘s fifth-year option for the 2019 season before the deadline.

The fifth-year option will run the Panthers over $8.7 million, but is guaranteed only for injury and won’t prevent them from working on a long-term extension over the next year.

Thompson, 23, is a former first-round pick of the Panthers back in 2015. He’s currently in the final year of his four-year, $8.808 million contract that included $7.172 million guaranteed and stands to make a base salary of $936,000 for the 2018 season.

In 2017, Thompson appeared in 14 games for the Panthers and recorded 61 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defense. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 30 linebacker out of 87 qualifying players.