Jordan Gross to Retire

I'll be honest. I'm in shock.

The Carolina Panthers' all-pro left tackle Jordan Gross told the team on Tuesday that he would not be returning for a 12th season and instead would be retiring.

Gross, 33, was a first-round draft pick for Carolina in 2003. He's not only been a three-time pro bowler, but he has become one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL, as well as a leader to the Panthers. His speech before the game against the Minnesota Vikings helped the team soar to new heights, as did his phenomenal performance on the field during the course of the season.

Last season, Gross restructured his contract, which voided the 2014 season that would have been his final year.

Gross has started in 167 games, the most in team history. In his rookie season, he helped Carolina reach the Super Bowl. This past season, his last, he reached the Pro Bowl for a third time.

"I've played a lot of football, and I've seen a lot of guys come and a lot of guys go," Gross said. "Sometimes it ends well for guys, and sometimes it is not the ending they were looking for. I knew that this was the time for me to step away - happy, healthy, and thinking fondly about my experience."

I've said before that Carolina will either take a wide receiver or offensive lineman in the first round of this year's draft. With Gross retiring, this makes me think the Panthers will take a lineman in the first or second round. The only player who could step in as Gross's replacement is Byron Bell, and he's struggled.

The bright side of this is that this frees up a little more cap space for the Panthers, giving them the opportunity to either test free agency or resign more players.

However, Gross has been a leader to this team and an anchor to the offensive line. This loss hurts.

There was a lot of speculation that Gross would return for a final season and perhaps a Super Bowl run. Carolina was in position to do so, considering the roster. However, this loss definitely hurts their chances.

Gross has been a great asset to this team, and as a Panthers' fan, I think I speak for all of us when I say that he will be missed greatly.