NFL Rumors: Paul Soliai Leaves Atlanta Falcons For Carolina Panthers

NFL rumors have swirled around Paul Soliai over the past week. The veteran defensive tackle was a free agent. Many believed that he was going to be leaving the Atlanta Falcons for another home in the National Football League. A pay cut was not something that Soliai was willing to take for the Falcons, so his release was guaranteed. According to ESPN, Soliai will be signing a 2-year contract with the Carolina Panthers.

The highest paid player on the Atlanta Falcons roster is Matt Ryan, who is being paid $23.7 million next season. That makes a lot of sense because he is a legitimate franchise quarterback in the NFL. Right behind him at $15.9 million is Julio Jones. Since he is one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League, his salary makes sense as well. Third on the list Paul Soliai at $6.8 million, which is a bit high for someone that is not a big part of the Falcons’ future.

Though he didn’t want to take a pay cut for the Atlanta Falcons, Paul Soliai ended up doing so for the Carolina Panthers. The deal that he signed is said to be worth $7 million, which means that he will average $3.5 million a year. For the NFL, that’s not a bad salary whatsoever, especially since Soliai is now 32-years-old. Defensive tackles take quite a beating because they’re always in the trenches, so age is quite a factor at the position.

When Paul Soliai was acquired by the Atlanta Falcons, Mike Smith was the head coach. Since he spent years as a defensive coordinator, he had his hands on that side of the ball for the Falcons. Smith likes to employ a hybrid defense that leans more towards the 3-4 than the 4-3. Soliai was tasked with occupying blockers and stopping the opposing run game. At 6-foot 4-inches, 330 pounds, Paul had the frame that was suitable for the job because two offensive linemen were needed to slow him down.

When Dan Quinn took over as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he brought the 4-3 defensive scheme with him from the Seattle Seahawks, where he was the defensive coordinator for a very dominant unit. In Quinn’s scheme, the defensive tackles are required to burst through the line and disrupt the offensive backfield. Smaller and quicker defensive linemen are usually utilized in that role, so the Falcons didn’t really view Paul Soliai as a high priority in free agency.

One of the reasons why Paul Soliai was willing to take a pay cut with the Carolina Panthers is because the team isn’t asking as much from him on the field. The former Utah Utes star is going to be coming off the bench. Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short will be the starters. Soliai will rotate with them to make sure that everyone is as fresh as possible. Soliai, Lotulelei and Short will form one of the better defensive tackle rotations in the NFL.

Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman hasn’t been able to do much in free agency during his three seasons with the team. When he inherited the Panthers, they were in awful shape with the salary cap. Gettleman had to fix the problems and wait things out. Carolina relied on the NFL Draft and signed players to sensible deals. Signing Paul Soliai away from the Atlanta Falcons is considered quite the victory for Gettleman.

Since they were just one win away from being Super Bowl champions, the Carolina Panthers are stocking up for another run at the NFL Playoffs. Unless Cam Newton regresses badly, Paul Soliai should be able to help the Panthers do that.