Carolina Panthers free agent market limited by budget
The Carolina Panthers can’t afford to spend big during free agency.
Last March the Carolina Panthers embarked on an offseason journey riddled with question marks. Absent an owner and with new coaching coordinators in all three phases – offense, defense and special teams, the level of uncertainty was at an all time high.
Fast forward a calendar year and while the owner and leadership roles have been stabilized, the current roster situation and personnel issues hang another cloud over the organization. An aging roster created a need for an influx of youth into the locker room but has also led to some difficult decisions.
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Two captains, center Ryan Kalil and defensive end Julius Peppers, have already announced their retirement and a handful of other players have been released or notified they won’t be re-signed. Mike Adams (37), Captain Munnerlyn (30) and most notably, Thomas Davis (35) are not expected back next season.
The first free agency experience for Davis after 14 years in a Panthers uniform, his most recent deal – $6.75M, one year – would have cut even more into the allowable cap space for Carolina, unless he had been willing to take an extreme pay cut.
According to Over the Cap, the Panthers have approximately $16 million available to spend after recently re-signing safety Colin Jones. The funds limit general manager Marty Hurney in terms of aggressiveness as he navigates another offseason at the helm.
Driving the team into a critical cap situation during his first tenure, Hurney has adamantly discussed learning from past mistakes, vowing to make financially sound decisions in the best interest of the team and future of the franchise.
Undoubtedly evidenced by allowing Davis to leave, the front office has plenty of positions to fill while being strapped for cash. Needs along the offensive line, at defensive end, linebacker and safety all need to be addressed.
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Upon first glance it isn’t a shockingly long list but considering the Panthers are losing six starters, many long-term, the holes suddenly become more difficult to fill – especially with limited funds.