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It doesn’t appear as if the Carolina Panthers and right tackle Daryl Williams are going to get an extension done anytime soon.
According to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer, there is still a “monster” financial gap between Williams and the team during contract negotiations. A league source also told Rodrigue that it would be “shocking” if a deal was agreed upon before training camp in July.
This is in contrast to another report which came out recently about the Panthers likely extending Williams, wherein the reporter said he'd be “mildly surprised” if general manager Marty Hurney didn't get a deal done by the start of the season. But it seems the two sides still have some way to go before that happens.
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Williams, who was a fourth-round pick by the Panthers in 2015, had a breakout campaign for Carolina in 2017. He played and started in all 16 games and earned second-team All-Pro honors. Pro Football Focus also had him graded as the third-best offensive tackle in the entire NFL last season.
Williams is entering the final year of his rookie deal and will make $1.2 million in base salary in 2018. But after playing like one of the best offensive linemen in the league last season, he now wants to be paid like one on his next contract.
It remains to be seen whether the Panthers can bridge that “monster” gap and lock up an integral part of their offensive line for the long-term. If they don’t, they risk losing Williams to the highest bidder in free agency next offseason.
