@PanthersLucas with 5 potential cuts, his take, and savings.

[top dawg]

Here are the possible cuts that make some sense and possible savings according to USA Today's Lucas Ewing.He says that as things stand now,  we have about 12 mil to spend in free agency.  That's  not much to get quality FAs to fill our various holes,  but we might as well get rid of dead weight and invest in the future, right?  

In any event,  you can interest yourself with what Ewing has to say.  

http://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2018/02/11/5-panthers-who-could-be-salary-cap-casualties-in-2018/

Most of his takes are based on a marked drop-off in production whether due to age, injury, or in the case of Shepard,  marginal talent. But here's my thinking

 

1. Ryan Kalil. 

At this point,  will we get a good return on the investment,  or is it time to turn the page?  Is there any incentive whatsoever for him to give a hometown discount during his last season?  

Potential savings: 6.79 mil

 

2. Jonathan Stewart 

The writing is pretty much on the wall for him at his current salary

Potential savings: 3.7 mil. 

 

3. Charles Johnson

His production fell off a cliff this past season, and a a result an upgrade shouldn't be hard to find at all.  

Potential Savings: 3.25 mil

 

4. Kurt Coleman

@PanthersLucas doesn't believe he's really going anywhere, as Coleman is an experienced veteran presence among DBs who have plenty of question marks. I don't know that he's done yet. 

Potential Savings: 2.65 mil

 

5. Russell Shepard:

This throwaway bum---err Buc (bup bup bup) did not buck his trend of being what he has been his entire career: JAG.  In fact,  he was even worse than I could have imagined.  Ewing says a reason to keep him might be upside,  but that's last year's argument, and it sounds rather hollow. 

Potential savings: 2.1 mil

 

All told,  a potential savings of up to about 18.5 mil.  With a total of 30 mil,  we could make a little something happen, then we can fill the remainder of the holes via the draft. 

[Burnout189]

5 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Here are the possible cuts that make some sense and possible savings according to USA Today's Lucas Ewing.He says that as things stand now,  we have about 12 mil to spend in free agency.  That's  not much to get quality FAs to fill our various holes,  but we might as well get rid of dead weight and invest in the future, right?  

In any event,  you can interest yourself with what Ewing has to say.  

http://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2018/02/11/5-panthers-who-could-be-salary-cap-casualties-in-2018/

Most of his takes are based on a marked drop-off in production whether due to age, injury, or in the case of Shepard,  marginal talent. But here's my thinking

 

1. Ryan Kalil. 

At this point,  will we get a good return on the investment,  or is it time to turn the page?  Is there any incentive whatsoever for him to give a hometown discount during his last season?  

Potential savings: 6.79 mil

 

2. Jonathan Stewart 

The writing is pretty much on the wall for him at his current salary

Potential savings: 3.7 mil. 

 

3. Charles Johnson

His production fell off a cliff this past season, and a a result an upgrade shouldn't be hard to find at all.  

Potential Savings: 3.25 mil

 

4. Kurt Coleman

@PanthersLucas doesn't believe he's really going anywhere, as Coleman is an experienced veteran presence among DBs who have plenty of question marks. I don't know that he's done yet. 

Potential Savings: 2.65 mil

 

5. Russell Shepard:

This throwaway bum---err Buc (bup bup bup) did not buck his trend of being what he has been his entire career: JAG.  In fact,  he was even worse than I could have imagined.  Ewing says a reason to keep him might be upside,  but that's last year's argument, and it sounds rather hollow. 

Potential savings: 2.1 mil

 

All told,  a potential savings of up to about 18.5 mil.  With a total of 30 mil,  we could make a little something happen, then we can fill the remainder of the holes via the draft. 

Agree with cutting CJ and Shepard, no doubts there. Coleman, ehhh, I'd still keep him around  for his experience and veteran presence in the locker room. I want to keep Kalil and Stew on for next year simply bc if we can win it all they both would finally get rings.

[cookinwithgas]

Although losing Stewart is going to be a bitter pill, I can't argue against this. I like Kalil a lot but he's got a life outside football and will be fine whatever he decides to do. YES PLEASE on Shepard, but Coleman should get another year.

[Hotsauce]

I’d like to get CJ a ring next year. 

 

 

 

 

 

Just not as a part of the 53. Maybe he could be a coach or the teams cook? Hell I don’t know...

[The Righteous Troll]

Take Coleman off that list and replace him with Mike Adams

[t96]

Kalil no way, we'd have long odds of competing for a SB next year with Larsen at center all year. 

Stew we'll see. I want him gone to be honest, but Rivera likes him.

CJ needs to go 100% unless he takes a paycut all the way down to vet. min. and even then I'd be uncertain. Rather have young guys in the rotation over CJ.

Coleman we should keep regardless. We don't save all that much and he's actually still a solid player. Hoping we draft young safeties and Coleman could help bridge them. 

Shep... I think we saw enough in his snaps last year to let him go. Fairly large savings to release him so unless he'll take a paycut to stick around as a STer, see ya Shep. I like the guy but the talent isn't there unfortunately.

[WOW!!]

I agree can't argue with any of those cuts.. Maybe Kali but who ever is making the most out of Coleman and Adams needs to go..

[LinvilleGorge]

Shepard and CJ are no-brainers. They're wastes of roster spots at this point. Coleman could become expendable depending on what we do in FA and in the draft but I wouldn't let go of him just quite yet. Same with Stew. Kalil is the tough one. The heart says absolutely keep him, the brain says absolutely cut him. He's missed half our games in the past two seasons and has a huge cap hit, plus we have a viable replacement on the roster and it's a deep center draft. I thought the OL played better with Kalil, but our offensive stats are basically a wash with Kalil vs. Larsen. Honestly, I think you gotta let him walk and use that space to lock up Norwell and try to add a veteran WR.

[ItsPantone278]

Hard to cut Kalil, but I'd understand if they did.  Hard to see us cutting Coleman but would love to see an upgrade there.

[jumpman910]

I feel like Adams finished the season better than Coleman 

[CPF4LIFE]

Cut them all. 

[Eazy-E]

8 minutes ago, jumpman910 said:

I feel like Adams finished the season better than Coleman 

I know he did lol. Coleman has been one of the worst safeties in the NFL over the past 2 years with last season being a complete disaster.

[jumpman910]

2 minutes ago, Eazy-E said:

I know he did lol. Coleman has been one of the worst safeties in the NFL over the past 2 years with last season being a complete disaster.

He's been suspect since Norman left but if Adams outplayed Coleman why wouldn't you keep the cheaper option around with more NFL experience to be the veteran presence. 

And also if you think Ryan bounces back from the neck injury and will be healthy you keep him but if not you might need to cut bait early. Wasn't it his man that threw him like a rag doll and almost took Cams head off in the playoff game? 

[Ricky Spanish]

Am I the only one that doesn't want to cut Shepard strictly based on his ST ability alone?

I mean the dude is balls as a WR, we can all agree on that, but he's a ST stud, no ifs and or buts. He was signed as a STer first and foremost, but with the potential to play out wide. Don't blame him for Saca's offseason lovefest for a dude who only had 2 starts at the receiver position. Our ST's have been abysmal forever, and the year we sign him we were actually halfway decent. We weren't giving up ridiculous gains, we had a Kickoff return and punt return touchdown, and the coverage seemed better all around.

He's a hell of a lot better than Teddy Williams, and I'd love to keep him as a ST player.