Charles Tillman: Latest News, Rumors, Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent CB

Veteran NFL cornerback Charles Tillman will only return for another season if he can play for the Carolina Panthers.

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Tillman Comments on Future with Panthers, Timetable for Return

Sunday, June 19

"That's the only team I really want to play for," Tillman said of the Panthers on Saturday, per NOLA.com's Christopher Dabe. "It's Carolina. It's a great group of men. ... A great group of coaches. The front-office guys are great. To me it was no surprise they were, or we were, 17-2."

Tillman played his first 12 seasons for the Chicago Bears. The 35-year-old is coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 17 of last season.    

For someone who spent so much time and enjoyed a ton of success in the Windy City, Tillman's praise for the Panthers was especially glowing.

"Being in Carolina felt like I had been there my entire career," Tillman said, per Dabe. "The team, the community, the atmosphere, that vibe. The Carolinas—North Carolina and South Carolina—they showed a lot of love."

Tillman added, per Dabe, a return toward the end of Carolina's training camp would "probably" be the timeline he's looking at.

The Panthers may not be able to count on Tillman quite as much as they did last season, when he made 55 combined tackles and two interceptions in 12 starts, but they could use him as a mentor at the very least.

As someone who was part of last year's winning culture and contributed considerably in a leadership role, Tillman's prospective return to Carolina would make a lot of sense. It'd also present him with an opportunity to compete for a lot of playing time.

Star cornerback Josh Norman couldn't reach a long-term contract agreement, leading to the Panthers rescinding the franchise tag and allowing him to flee to Washington in free agency.

Carolina general manager Dave Gettleman responded by using second-, third- and fifth-round draft picks on James Bradberry, Daryl Worley and Zack Sanchez, respectively. The rookies could use someone as seasoned as Tillman to guide them amid their transition to the pros.