Clayton: Clausen is Trade Worthless

[MadHatter]

Well, couple other issues come into play. First and foremost is the contract he's under:

7/28/2010: Signed a four-year, $6.3 million contract. The deal includes $2.533 million guaranteed and a fourth-year escalator that could boost Clausen's 2013 base salary to $2.85 million. Even if Clausen does not activate the escalator, his 2013 salary is fully guaranteed.

2013: $575,000

2014: Free Agent

The pickle the Panthers find themselves in is simple- they have to keep Jimmy for 2 reasons which I'm not sure they ever saw coming. First of which being they are in salary cap hell and cutting Clausen only adds to those woes, and I think that 4th year escalator may come into play as a cap issue should the Panthers decide to part ways.

The second part of that is Derek Anderson is a free agent and unless the Panthers make an effort to re-sign him, this will be the 3rd time in the last 4 years the Panthers are actively seeking a QB. They cut Clausen and let Anderson walk to Cleveland or somewhere else and the Panthers are having to come up with some cash they don't have to replace not one, but 2 QBs.

Bottom line- Clausen will finish out his contract through the 2013 season and will end up on a beach back in SoCal next year doing something outside of football.

I think you are spot on.