THE ATHLETIC: Potential cap casualties….

[WarPanthers89]

Great article on the athletic posted today which covered a few points from Joe person. It’s starts by giving an update to the salary cap space in the NFC south ($224.8 million)

1st: Falcons at $56.4 million dollars 

2nd: Panthers at negative $9.5 million

3rd: Tampa Bay at negative $55.7 million 

4th Saints at negative $57.4 million.

The panthers have 18 of 22 starters under contract with only Bozeman, Foreman, Sam Darnold, and Matt Loannidis set to become free agents. 

ARTICLE:

The Athletic looks at some of the possible moves the Panthers can make to create cap room ahead of Frank Reich’s first free agency with general manager Scott Fitterer in Charlotte. (All cap figures via Spotrac.)

Potential cap casualties

LB Shaq Thompson

Age: 28

Cap savings: $13.2 million

Dead money: $11.3 million

Thompson was still effective during his age-27 season, finishing with a career-best 135 tackles, which put him among the top 15 among all NFL defenders. Thompson also was durable, playing a full season for just the second time in his career despite an offseason knee procedure. The Panthers have restructured Thompson’s contract twice since Marty Hurney signed him to an extension in 2019. By kicking the can, Thompson now carries a $24.46 million cap number in the final year of his deal. That’s just behind Moore ($25 million) and Moton ($24.54 million), whose contracts could be reworked in simple restructures for cap purposes. Other than the ascending Frankie Luvu, the Panthers’ linebacker corps is lean and would need reinforcing. But considering this move alone would get the Panthers below the cap, Thompson seems like a logical cut.

G/C Pat Elflein

Age: 28

Cap savings: $4.3 million

Dead money: $2.8 million

Elflein and Cam Erving were low-tier, offensive line additions in 2021 who didn’t quite pan out. Elflein started the first six games at center this past season before undergoing season-ending hip surgery. Bozeman replaced him and was a big part of the Panthers’ success on the ground, despite the trade of Christian McCaffreyto San Francisco. Bozeman is arguably the top priority among the Panthers’ own free agents and has said he’d like to stay in Charlotte. Either way, Elflein’s Panthers’ stint is likely done.

LB Damien Wilson

Age: 29

Cap savings: $3.6 million

Dead money: $1.1 million

Wilson, who turns 30 in May, signed a two-year, $6.9 million contract last offseason with the hopes of bolstering the middle of the Panthers’ defense. The former fourth-round draft pick started five of the first seven games and had a season-high nine tackles in a Week 5 loss to San Francisco. But Wilson became an afterthought after Steve Wilks took over, playing a total of four defensive snaps over the final eight games. As mentioned above, the Panthers aren’t exactly brimming with talent at linebacker, though they’re still hopeful Brandon Smith can turn his traits into production in his second year. Still, it makes more sense for Reich and his defensive staff to bring in guys who fit their system than to keep an aging player such as Wilson.

K Zane Gonzalez

Age: 27

Cap savings: $1.5 million

Dead money: $625,000

Gonzalez ended 2021 on injured reserve after injuring his quad warming up on a slick field in Buffalo, then began 2022 on IR when he tore his groin kicking into the net during the final preseason game against Buffalo. In between, the Panthers signed Gonzalez to a two-year, $4.5 million contract after watching him make 17 field goals in a row before his injury against the Bills. But while Gonzalez rehabbed following groin surgery, Eddy Pineiro proved to be a capable replacement. After missing two game-winning kicks at Atlanta, Pineiro made his last 19 field goals in a row — including the game-winner in Week 18 at New Orleans — and finished No. 2 in the league in field goal percentage (94.3) among qualified kickers. Pineiro is eligible for free agency. But given his ties to special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, who was retained by Reich, expect the Panthers to stick with Pineiro in 2023.

Possible surprise cut

TE Ian Thomas

Age: 25

Cap savings: $3.1 million (post-June 1 designation)

Dead money: $3.6 million in 2023; $1.7 million in 2024

Reich’s offense features the tight ends prominently in the passing game, with Reich saying he likes the matchups he can create at the position. Thomas is a physical, reliable blocker, but he has never developed as a pass catcher. Thomas just signed a three-year, $16.95 million deal last offseason, and the dead money would be reduced if they hold on to him another year. But with Dalton Schultz and Evan Engram highlighting a talented group of tight ends in free agency, maybe the Panthers cut ties with Thomas with a post-June 1 designation to spread out the dead money. Reich told Charlotte sports-talk station WFNZ on Wednesday he’s already heard from Eric Ebron. The former UNC tight end went to the Pro Bowl under Reich with the Colts in 2018, but was out of the league last season after an ankle injury ended his 2021 season early in Pittsburgh.

Extension candidate

DE Brian Burns

Age: 24

Cap number: $16 million

The Panthers would like to get a deal done with Burns after the edge rusher earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl berth. Burns bulked up last offseason, which helped him improve as a run defender and allowed him to add the occasional bull rush to his pass-rush arsenal. Burns is still young (he turns 25 in April) and is coming off a season in which he notched a career-high 12 1/2 sacks. He will seek an extension that puts him among the game’s highest-paid edge rushers. Spotrac projects a four-year deal for Burns, with an average annual value of $18.3 million.If the Panthers and Burns can’t come to an agreement, they can let him play out his option year at $16 million and try to extend him during or after the season. But then they run the risk of having Burns test free agency. Fitterer locked up Moore early last offseason, and the hope is he can do the same with Burns.

Edited February 3, 2023 by WarPanthers89

[WarPanthers89]

I thought this note was interesting under Thomas. I would LOVE to get a QB and sign Schultz:

 

“But with Dalton Schultz and Evan Engram highlighting a talented group of tight ends in free agency, maybe the Panthers cut ties with Thomas with a post-June 1 designation to spread out the dead money. Reich told Charlotte sports-talk station WFNZ on Wednesday he’s already heard from Eric Ebron. The former UNC tight end went to the Pro Bowl under Reich with the Colts in 2018, but was out of the league last season after an ankle injury ended his 2021 season early in Pittsburgh.”

[Jackie Lee]

9 minutes ago, WarPanthers89 said:

I thought this note was interesting under Thomas. I would LOVE to get a QB and sign Schultz:

 

“But with Dalton Schultz and Evan Engram highlighting a talented group of tight ends in free agency, maybe the Panthers cut ties with Thomas with a post-June 1 designation to spread out the dead money. Reich told Charlotte sports-talk station WFNZ on Wednesday he’s already heard from Eric Ebron. The former UNC tight end went to the Pro Bowl under Reich with the Colts in 2018, but was out of the league last season after an ankle injury ended his 2021 season early in Pittsburgh.”

Dump Thomas and grab Ebron for whatever the cap savings were. He probably would play for $3-4M if healthy

[Camp Fodder]

Thomas a surprise cut? I’d be surprised if he wasn’t cut

[ECHornet]

Why cut Shaq we he can be traded? 
 

His cap hit for 2024 would be $13,160,000 for his new team, good for 23rd in LB cap hits per Spotrac. Once new deals are signed this off-season, that will look like a decent price for Shaq on a one-year deal. 

Edited February 3, 2023 by ECHornet

[Jackie Lee]

11 minutes ago, Camp Fodder said:

Thomas a surprise cut? I’d be surprised if he wasn’t cut

Him getting a new contract in the first place was much more surprising than this idea to cut him. That was such a nightmare of a 4 TE rotation for no reason. 

[onmyown]

Like I said beginning of the season, falcons building right. Lots of cap and same number of wins as us lol

Bucs got their trophy

Saints did too, and got close again

meanwhile panthers look like idiots, years ago our cap was extremely healthy and just got fuged to hell for no reason

[Tarheel119]

If I’ve seen anything the last couple of years in the NFL, it’s that the cap can be manipulated in multiple ways. The Panthers will restructure some contracts to make room. Thompson could be a cap casualty but I’d hate to lose his productivity. The defense has some good pieces. Anyhow, I am confident we’ll put a good roster together. To me, resigning Bozeman is vital.

[Prowler2k18]

42 minutes ago, ECHornet said:

Why cut Shaq we he can be traded? 
 

His cap hit for 2024 would be $13,160,000 for his new team, good for 23rd in LB cap hits per Spotrac. Once new deals are signed this off-season, that will look like a decent price for Shaq on a one-year deal. 

Trading him would probably be the best option. But it would not surprise me if Shaq’s contract gets restructured to lessen the cap hit this year due to or lack of LB depth. 

[Jackie Lee]

11 minutes ago, Tarheel119 said:

If I’ve seen anything the last couple of years in the NFL, it’s that the cap can be manipulated in multiple ways. The Panthers will restructure some contracts to make room. Thompson could be a cap casualty but I’d hate to lose his productivity. The defense has some good pieces. Anyhow, I am confident we’ll put a good roster together. To me, resigning Bozeman is vital.

Yeah they can restructure Moton and Moore, maybe do something with Donte's contract. Biggest hit is dead cap from CMC and that horrible Robbie contract. Sucks to kick the can down the road on restructures but they have $145M in cap room for 2024 so it's not the biggest deal to move $20M or so in the top 4 or 5 players over to next year in addition to the cuts. We can get to probably $40M under the cap if they really wanna sign a few decent FA's

[Jackie Lee]

2 minutes ago, Prowler2k18 said:

Trading him would probably be the best option. But it would not surprise me if Shaq’s contract gets restructured to lessen the cap hit this year due to or lack of LB depth. 

They can't restructure, it's his last year. They can extend and save/push $9M which I'd be fine with. He'll be decent for a couple more years

[Beast_3000]

22 minutes ago, Tarheel119 said:

If I’ve seen anything the last couple of years in the NFL, it’s that the cap can be manipulated in multiple ways. The Panthers will restructure some contracts to make room. Thompson could be a cap casualty but I’d hate to lose his productivity. The defense has some good pieces. Anyhow, I am confident we’ll put a good roster together. To me, resigning Bozeman is vital.

Signing Bozeman is beyond vital. The line all came together when he finally took the reins. I agree with you on Shaq too. A linebacker in todays NFL that can defend the pass at an efficient rate and can tally 135 tackles along the way ? People can deny it all they want but that’s special. The 4-3 capable linebackers in this draft  outside the top 3 aren’t that impressive against the pass so I’m torn. 

[Prowler2k18]

34 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

They can't restructure, it's his last year. They can extend and save/push $9M which I'd be fine with. He'll be decent for a couple more years

That’s what I meant to say - my bad. Thanks for the clarification and I agree. 

[CPF4LIFE]

Birds have 56 million in cap space?!