Panthers exercise Star Lotulelei's 5th-year option

The Carolina Panthers announced Tuesday that the team has exercised its fifth-year option on defensive tackle Star Lotulelei's contract.

Officially picking up the option, as general manager Dave Gettleman had admittedly been planning to do, keeps him under contract through the 2017 season.

Lotulelei has been a reliable presence in each of his three seasons since joining the Panthers as a first-round pick in 2013. He's appeared in all but four games over that stretch, racking up six sacks and 90 tackles.

The 26-year-old enter the 2016 season again slated for a starting role up front, working alongside Kawann Short to give Carolina one of the league's strongest interior tandems.