A fast start – that's a part of Mario Addison's skill set and the story of his season.
The speedy defensive end recorded 1.5 sacks in the season opener, highlighted by a strip-sack of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the waning minutes to clinch the victory.
Addison ended the season with a team-high 9.0 sacks, leading or tying for the team lead for the third consecutive year. Not bad for an undrafted player – one who now ranks third among active undrafted players with 44.5 career sacks.
Addison has now recorded at least six sacks each of the last five seasons, but he probably figures he should have had a second consecutive double-digit sack season. Addison ranked in the top 10 in sacks league-wide after eight games with 7.5, and he recorded three during the home win over Tampa Bay as the Panthers improved to 6-2. But he got just 1.5 sacks the rest of the way.
Expect the 31-year-old to make another run at double digits in the final year of his contract.