The Carolina Panthers started their day by re-signing kicker Zane Gonzalez, one of the bright spots on special teams in 2021. Now, they’ve ended their day by inking another key player on the unit.
Linebacker Julian Stanford, as announced by the team on Wednesday night, has agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension. The deal brings the 31-year-old right back less than a week before he was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Stanford, who has been with the organization since 2020, played in each of the Panthers’ 33 games over the past two campaigns. That pair of seasons saw the eighth-year veteran lead Carolina’s special teams in tackles with 11 in 2021 and seven the year prior.
He now joins, along with Gonzalez, a handful of other players the Panthers have pulled back from the open market. That group also includes long snapper J.J. Jansen, linebacker Frankie Luvu and tight end Ian Thomas.
