March 10, 2026, 7:28 p.m. ET
The Carolina Panthers may be reeling in their next starting center.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Panthers have an agreement in place with free-agent center Luke Fortner. The deal, per Pelissero, will be a one-year pact worth up to $4.75 million.
A first-team All-SEC selection from the University of Kentucky, Fortner was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’d last three seasons there, making 34 starts over 51 games.
Fortner, after losing the starting job in Jacksonville during the 2024 season, was traded to the New Orleans Saints this past summer for defensive lineman Khalen Saunders. He started in 10 of his 17 outings for Carolina’s NFC South rivals.
Carolina has reportedly lost their starting center from 2025, Cade Mays—who is expected to sign a three-year, $25 million contract with the Detroit Lions.
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