Mock Offseason (updated 2/14)

[Icege]

CUT
Matt Kalil, LT (post-6/1, $7M)
Dontari Poe, DT (post-6/1, $6M)
Mario Addison ($7.25M)
Captain Munnerlyn ($2M)
Ross Cockrell ($2.5M)
Da'Norris Searcy ($2M)
Torrey Smith ($5M)

Time to free up some money! Also: potentially restructure Kuechly and pay him his base salary, pushing it back the next two seasons to free up an additional $10M and make some bigger splashes in free agency. 

SIGN
Jadaveon Clowney, EDGE ($16M)
Daryl Williams, RT ($7M)
Eric Reid, S (Signed)
Ryan Fitzpatrick ($3M)
Kyle Love, DT* 
Bryan Cox Jr, DE*
Damiere Byrd, WR*
David Mayo, LB*
Justin Hardy, WR*
Fozzy Whittaker, RB*
Jared Norris, LB*
Chris Mahertz, TE (Signed)*
Efe Obada (Signed)*
* == Combined cap hit: $10M - $12M

I also considered Alfred Morris or Doug Martin to provide a powerback, but like the idea of filling that role with a UDFA instead for cheaper. Also for consideration: Ramon Foster.
Change(s): Removed - C Matt Paradis & CB B.W. Webb. Added - RB Fozzy Whittaker & LB Jared Norris. Signed - S Eric Reid

Draft
1. Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
2. Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State
3. Jaquan Johnson, FS, Miami
3. Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
4. Max Scharping, OT/G, Northern Illinois
5. Khalil Hodge, LB, Buffalo
6. Hunter Renfrow, WR, Clemson

Rds 1 & 3 have stayed the same since my last mock for the same reasons listed then. However, in this version I've opted to instead of tying up money in a free agent center to instead go get one of the top centers in this draft. Bradbury had a streak of over 400 snaps in pass protection where he did not allow a QB pressure, and as much as I would love to have the heir to Andrew Norwell, I am more eager for the heir to Ryan Kalil at center. My day 3 on the previous version had us only drafting Bryce Love in the 5th with the 4th rd pick being used to trade up for Austin Bryant and the 6th rd being used to trade up for Love following the ACL tear. Looking at the RB group, I think that there is a strong chance that Bryce Love falls out of the draft due to the timing of his injury. Hunter Renfrow, on the other hand, has more than likely worked himself at the very least into the 7th round. As the Panthers do not have a 7th (and some teams are likely looking at him in the 6th), the Panthers can spend their 6th on a potential ST guy that might be able to work his way into a Jarius Wright-esque type role. LB depth might be a concern as well, especially with talks of implementing more 3-4 looks. Khalil Hodge gives us another body there, and Max Scharping can come in to compete at LG with Van Roten. He'll likely lose that battle to Van Roten and end up our T/G swingman. 

UDFA
Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
Jacques Patrick, RB, Florida St
Matt Sokol, TE, Michigan St
Deshaun Davis, LB, Auburn
Olive Sagapolu, DT, Wisconsin

Patrick and Sokol were in the previous mock, and Bryce Love has replaced Hunter Renfrow for reasons stated above. Deshaun Davis and Olive Sagapolu are more bodies for training camp, potential practice squad candidates.

Roster
QB: Newton, Fitzpatrick
RB: McCaffrey, Whittaker, Patrick, Armah
WR: Moore, Samuel, Wright, Hardy, Byrd, Renfrow
TE: Olsen, Thomas, Manhertz
OL: Moton, Bradbury, Van Roten, Turner, Williams, Larsen, Mahon, Battle, Scharping
ST: Gano, Jansen, Nortman
DL: Short, Lawrence, Love, Butler, Bryant, Obada, Cox Jr, Clowney, Haynes
LB: Kuechly, Thompson, Carter Jr, Smith, Mayo, Norris, Davis
CB: Bradberry, Jackson, Doss, Elder, Luke, Seymour
S: Reid, Johnson, Gaulden, Parms

 

I've considered doing variations where the team keeps Kalil and/or Poe. Poe I could live with, and while I could understand the economics behind Kalil idk if I want to will that into existence accidentally.

[Icege]

What will likely be my final mock draft pending any injuries, arrests, signings, etc:

I'm working on fleshing out the remainder of offseason moves to go along with the draft, but until then:

1. Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Florida St
2. Chris Lindstrom, LG, Boston College
3. Darnell Savage Jr, FS, Maryland
3. Max Scharping, LT, Northern Illinois
4. Christian Miller, OLB/DE, Alabama
5. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
6. Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
UDFA. Darius West, S, Kentucky
UDFA. Devon Johnson, OT, Ferris St
UDFA. Deshaun Davis, LB, Auburn
UDFA. Ricky Walker, DT, Virginia Tech
UDFA. Anthony Ratliff-Williams, WR, UNC
UDFA. Olive Sagapolu, DT, Wisconsin

UDFAs are just who I would like to target, not necessarily make the final roster