Carolina Panthers: Big things expected of Ian Thomas in 2020
By Dean Jones
Ian Thomas’ contract situation
After being taken with the 101st overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, Ian Thomas penned a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers worth $3.2 million.
This included a $747,994 signing bonus and a further $747,994 guaranteed. Thomas is heading into the penultimate year of his rookie deal in 2020 and will earn a base salary of $750,000.
Thomas is set to make $920,000 in the final year of his deal in 2021 and count $2.78 million against the Panthers’ tight salary cap. If he can produce the level of consistency that is required of an NFL starter next season, he will do his chances of a longer-term deal the world of good.
There is not much financial commitment from the organization’s perspective currently. This will undoubtedly change if Thomas makes a big impression later on this year.
Players do not like playing through the final year of their deals. This is particularly evident with those on rookie deals. The Panthers are set to find this out in the coming weeks as All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey is after a big commitment from the franchise after an exceptional time in Carolina so far.
While Thomas will not command the sort of money McCaffrey is looking for. He will be expecting a bigger deal if he thrives in Matt Rhule’s new offense.