CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have released defensive end Charles Johnson, team officials announced Thursday.
Johnson missed seven games while on injured reserve with a hamstring injury in 2015.
IMAGES: Charles Johnson through the years
He recorded one sack in the regular season and three sacks in the three postseason games.
“Charles has had a very good career as a Carolina Panther and I’ve enjoyed coaching him the past five seasons,” head coach Ron Rivera said. “Charles fought through adversity with his injury last season and set a great example for our locker room as a captain. I have a great deal of respect for Charles as a player and a person and thank him for all the contributions he has made to this team.”
Johnson, who spent all nine seasons with the Panthers, had 63.5 sacks -- second most in franchise history behind Julius Peppers' 81. He recorded at least nine sacks in four consecutive years from 2010-13 and had a career-high 12 1.2 sacks in 2012.
"Charles was an impact player for the Carolina Panthers for a long time, both on and off the field," Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said in a statement Thursday. "His statistics speak for themselves, and as a team captain he led the way you want your leaders to lead — by example. I wish him the best moving forward."
The move means the Panthers must replace both starting defensive ends from last season.
Jared Allen retired earlier this offseason.
Kony Ealy, who had three sacks and an interception in the Super Bowl, is expected to take over at one of those spots but the other remains vacant. The Panthers recently visited with former Jets and Dolphins defensive end Quinton Coples, but no agreement has been reached.
The Panthers could address the need in the draft or free agency.
Johnson was drafted in the third round by the Panthers in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Johnson, a third-round draft pick out of Georgia in 2007, forced 17 forced fumbles during his career, which also ranks second in team history. He played in 118 regular season games for the Panthers, the third most among a defensive lineman in team history behind Mike Rucker's 139 and Julius Peppers' 122.