Panthers Retain Punter Sam Martin On 2-Year Deal

The Carolina Panthers are keeping their punter in the fold.

Sam Martin agreed to a new two-year deal worth up to $5 million to stay with the Panthers on Monday, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The $2.5M average annual value ranks him 14th in the league among punters.

Martin, 36, spent the 2025 season in Carolina after playing the previous three in Buffalo. A 13-year NFL veteran, Martin has also punted for the Lions and Broncos.

Martin ranked 21st in the league with 47.2 yards per punt, 0.2 below the league average. He did, however, rank ninth in the league with a 5.4% touchback rate, and sixth with 48.2% of punts landing inside the 20-yard line. The Panthers ostensibly value Martin's overall experience, and especially his experience in various punting environments like the thin air in Denver and windy Buffalo.

Carolina has shored up its special teams units as part of a busy free agency period, which also included big-money defensive additions like edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd.