CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Carolina Panthers reached a one-year deal with veteran defensive tackle Colin Cole on Tuesday.
The deal is worth $1.05 million with an $80,000 signing bonus, sources told ESPN's John Clayton.
Cole's salary-cap number will be $665,000 because he accepted a deal at the veteran minimum salary benefit.
"I'll be 35 in June. I'm excited and blessed to have another opportunity to play this game,'' Cole told ESPN.com. "I hope I can help this team move forward and get back to the Super Bowl.''
Despite his age, Cole doesn't look at this as his last season, believing the 2½ years he spent away from the game after being released by Seattle prior to the 2011 season extended his career.
"Absolutely,'' he said. "It's just like a tire not being driven for however long. That tire still has tread on it not being driven.''
Cole is the first of Carolina's 11 unrestricted free agents the team has re-signed. The Panthers also have shown an interest in re-signing Dwan Edwards, who will be 34 in May.
For the past two seasons Cole and Edwards have been a part of a four-man rotation at tackle with 2013 first-round draft pick Star Lotulelei and second-rounder Kawann Short.
"I know the team definitely has shown interest in bringing [Edwards] back,'' Cole said. "I'm not sure what he and his family are going to decide.''