Luke Fortner set to sign with Panthers on one-year deal as center need spikes
luke fortner is set to sign with the Panthers on a one-year deal, with the agreement expected to pay up to $4. 75MM. The move comes as the team looks for a replacement after Cade Mays departed for the Lions on a three-year contract, leaving a clear vacancy in the middle of the offensive line. The plan was outlined at 3: 00 PM ET, with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero identified as the named reporter of the signing and contract terms.
Deal details and why the Panthers moved quickly
The Panthers’ decision centers on urgency up front. With Cade Mays now in Detroit and center/guard Austin Corbett still unsigned, the team was left with what was described as a major hole on the offensive line. The reported signing brings in a veteran center on a one-year contract that can reach $4. 75MM.
At this stage, the situation is presented as a targeted fix: a veteran option added to stabilize the position heading into training camp. The expectation is that the newcomer will be “penciled in” for the starting job entering camp, while still leaving room for competition depending on additional offseason acquisitions.
Luke Fortner’s recent path: Jacksonville to New Orleans, now Carolina
Before this agreement, Luke Fortner spent the first three seasons of his career in Jacksonville after being selected in the third round in 2022. He started full time through his first two years there, but his role changed sharply in 2024, when he played only 13 offensive snaps across 17 games. After that season, Jacksonville moved on by trading him to the Saints in a deal that sent defensive tackle Khalen Saunders the other way.
In his lone season in New Orleans, he returned to the starting lineup and started 10 of his 17 appearances. Pro Football Focus characterized that season as the best showing of his career, ranking him 17th out of 37 qualifying centers, and crediting him with three sacks allowed and 11 pressures allowed.
Now, with the Panthers needing help at center, luke fortner is positioned to step into that vacancy as the team heads toward training camp.
Immediate reactions from named figures and institutions
Tom Pelissero, a reporter for NFL Network, was credited with the information that the Panthers are set to sign the veteran center and that the arrangement is a one-year deal that can pay up to $4. 75MM.
Pro Football Focus, a football evaluation and grading service, assessed the player’s most recent season as his strongest to date, placing him 17th among 37 qualifying centers and assigning him three sacks and 11 pressures allowed.
Quick context on Carolina’s depth chart pressure
The Panthers’ need at center intensified after Cade Mays signed with the Lions and with Austin Corbett still unsigned. That combination created a clear gap that the team is now addressing through this pending signing.
What’s next: training camp competition and roster movement
The expectation is the new center will enter training camp in position to start, but the job is not guaranteed. Competition could come from special teamer Nick Samac or any other offseason acquisition the team adds. For now, the key development is straightforward: the Panthers are set to sign a veteran to address a pressing interior line need, and the deal structure has been described as a one-year pact with earnings up to $4. 75MM.
