Thomas Davis gets the extension he was looking for from the Panthers

Thomas Davis made it clear that he wanted to remain with the Panthers for the rest of his career, and he’ll definitely be in Carolina through the 2018 season. Davis has signed a contract extension with Carolina, the team announced Tuesday.

The deal is for two years and $6.75 million with $2 million in guarantees, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“Carolina is my home, and it will always be,” Davis said via the team’s Twitter account.

Davis is 34 years old, but his play hasn’t declined. Davis was selected in the first round of the 2005 draft by the Panthers, and with the exception of a couple of seasons that were marred by injury, has been a consistent and forceful presence on the field for Carolina. He led the team in tackles last season with 106, and he added 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and three interceptions.

He also played every single defensive snap in the team’s last 11 games of the season. Davis finished the year with 1,009 snaps, which was the team’s high mark.

Davis’ age and the investment the team made into Shaq Thompson, Carolina’s first-round pick in 2015, raised some questions about a possible extension for Davis. New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said Thompson will be a bigger part of the defensive rotation this season to give Davis an opportunity to rest.

“With Thomas Davis getting up there in age and years, we’ve got to cut down on his reps,” Wilks said via the team’s website. “So there will be times where Shaq is going to be in, and we’re going to try to relieve Thomas to give him some rest.”

Davis said he understood that the negotiation process takes time, and that there was no need to rush since he was still under contract through the 2017 season.

“It’s a situation where I have another year and they can make me play it out,” Davis said via Kelsey Riggs of WCNC.

And Davis was disappointed in those who blamed him — and harassed his wife on Twitter — for the team’s decision to move on from former general manager Dave Gettleman.

“I think that’s an unfair statement,” Davis said via Riggs. “I think that’s something that you guys are giving us too much credit. We’re not that important in the grand scheme of things, and ultimately Mr. Richardson made a decision and it’s something that we’re all going to live with.”

Davis, despite his age, has been reliable for the Panthers. Over the past five seasons, he’s missed exactly two games. He even played in Super Bowl 50 with a fractured arm that he suffered during the NFC Championship win over the Arizona Cardinals following the 2015 season.

The Panthers last signed Davis to a two-year, $17.75 million extension before the 2015 season.

Davis has been named to the Pro Bowl twice, in 2015 and 2016, and he was named a first-team All-Pro for the 2015 season.