Updated Cap Moving Forward & Free Agent Priorities....

[SetfreexX]

Even with the dead cap space from Kuechly's retirement, we have just over 30M available in cap space - with some opportunities to create more via cuts, adding a year to a current deal, restructure, etc. (Of which Matt Kalil accounts for almost half 9.8M thanks DG)

Cap Space we can free up:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/carolina-panthers/cap/

(For the sake of math, these figures will be rounded)

Poe - 13M - 3MD = 10M cap relief (Takes us up to 40M)

Olsen - 12M - 4MD = 8M cap relief (Takes us up to 48M)

Wright - 4M - 1MD = 3M cap relief (Takes us up to 51M)

Mike Davis - 3M cap relief - No dead money (Takes us to 54M)

Priority FA's from this past season:

https://www.panthers.com/team/players-roster/

• James Bradberry - 26 / Expiring Salary- 1M
• Tre' Boston - 27/ Expiring Salary - 3M
• Mario Addison (9.5 sacks) - 32 / Expiring Salary - 11M
• Bruce Irvin (8.5 sacks) - 32/ Expiring Salary - 4M
• Gerald McCoy (5 sacks) - 31/ Expiring Salary - 8M
• Vernon Butler (6 sacks) - 25 / Expiring Salary - 3M

 

You'd have to figure on this list Bradberry, McCoy, and Addison are probably the primary guys for retention, potentially Boston and Irvin considering the figures they played at during the 2019 season, doubt any of them raised their price too much. 

Either way looking at the picture of our cap / roster with a little more clarity and detail I think we are in position to re-tool, a lot of people are down on the offense, having a guy like Cam back under center alone goes a long way if that is the avenue we choose. No matter how you feel, the OL talent was worse in 2018 (Clark (off the street at LT) / GVR / Old Kalil / Turner / Moton)

I honestly believe things would have gone smoother if not for QB injury, and I think educated football fans could see that Kyle and Grier missed open guys and took / created a good portion of the sacks they were apart of. A healthier OL I think goes a long way as we have the potential to field a Franchise QB, a 1K receiver, and a 1K x 2 HB. 

Little / FA or Day 2 pick / Paradis / Turner / Moton -- Is still an OL I believe in and with competent play-calling insert Joe Brady, I am very interested to see what we can become. 

In one of his first post introductory interviews, Coach Rhule referenced turning his attention to the defensive side of the ball first and I can see why considering that is where we are likely to see the most change. Overall this is still a common sense business, you get Cam for a year with no downside (regarding his contract), and you have the opportunity to solidify the defense via FA, the draft with a respectable amount of potential free cap space, whether, we release, or restructure, or extend contracts by a year to lower the cap hits. 

 

[cbully]

I stopped at Matt Kalil...smh

[SetfreexX]

As far as our potential priority free agents go, I think you replace Addison's money by paying Bradberry, then look to retain Irvin, Boston, and McCoy as their salaries are more modest with Burns taking over the starting role replacing Addison.

Going on 33 I just can't see paying Mario top tier money, he had 9.5 sacks on the season as a full time starter, however Brian Burns had 7.5 in limited snaps while we wasted his talents as a gunner on ST's.

Haynes, and Miller step into the immediate reserve roles in this scenario with a potential Day 2/3 pick as additional depth. We need to continue to add speed / youth to the defense extending a 33 year old is not the way. 

[Thunderbird037]

This is a good update, thanks for putting it together.

[MHS831]

Take a look at McCoy's stats. He had 5 sacks, played about 2/3 of the game, and only had about 15 tackles.  That is not $8m worth of production, imo.  I say he is gone.

Poe?  Gone.

KK is all we have there.

Regardless of what I think, there is something I know.  Marty with a wad of cash in free agency is like a drunk sailor in a whore house.

[*FreeFua*]

One of Conklin, Bulaga or Castonzo is a must. 

Daley will slide to LG where he was drafted to play. 

[SetfreexX]

I left Vernon Butler off the list but will go back and add him, he finished with 6 sacks on the season ''low key'' quite honestly. 

[Matthias]

We're in full rebuilding mode.  No need to make any crazy signings, be it free agents or bringing back our guys.

[SetfreexX]

3 minutes ago, Matthias said:

We're in full rebuilding mode.  No need to make any crazy signings, be it free agents or bringing back our guys.

I don't see that as 100% true for 2020, I think that is more of an option for the 2021 season. We honestly have the cap to retain / add talent to round out the defense and offense. 

We have the opportunity to still make a playoff push with a return to form / health with Cam. It's January, so we'll know more in March once the new league year starts. And by the draft we'll know what the ''organization'' itself thinks based off the moves up until then plus the drafted players. 

With a top 7 pick in each round, and a last place schedule I think the room for a quick turn around is there. 

[grimesgoat]

8 minutes ago, Matthias said:

We're in full rebuilding mode.  No need to make any crazy signings, be it free agents or bringing back our guys.

This.  Accumulate draft capital and carry over as much cap as possible.  We will not compete for 2-3 years.

[Matthias]

4 minutes ago, SetfreexX said:

I don't see that as 100% true for 2020, I think that is more of an option for the 2021 season. We honestly have the cap to retain / add talent to round out the defense and offense. 

We have the opportunity to still make a playoff push with a return to form / health with Cam. It's January, so we'll know more in March once the new league year starts. And by the draft we'll know what the ''organization'' itself thinks based off the moves up until then plus the drafted players. 

With a top 7 pick in each round, and a last place schedule I think the room for a quick turn around is there. 

Yeah teams can definitely turn things around in one year, or at least make the playoffs.  Yet I want sustained success, and that's going to take some building.  Cam's best years are probably behind us.  Luke Kuechly just retired.  These guys were the faces of the franchise.  Greg Olsen is probably likely to retire himself.  I think we need to accept we are in complete rebuilding mode for the most part.

[NAS]

We have to keep some veterans.  I say we need to try to retain Bradberry, Addison and Irvin. 

[Rags]

Thank you for this thread.

I know some posters at here that would only go harder on the fug HURNEY train if it happened, but this would allow us to sign Bradberry without killing ourselves, and I think it'd be worth it if we think he can continue trending up. 

Every other priority FA (Save Tre, wouldn't mind keeping him around) can biggity bounce. I think it'd be best for both parties.

Anyone know if we can move on from Reid safely this season?

[Waldo]

Aim for cheap FAs with 2 year contracts. Gets us through next year and maybe the CBA negotiations in 2021. Either in 2021 or 2022 we should have rebuilt enough to look for more than warm bodies that will get us our tank picks in 2021 draft.