Carolina Panthers: Was releasing Eric Reid a mistake?
By Dean Jones
Eric Reid’s contract situation
After impressing during his first year with the Carolina Panthers, Eric Reid signed three-year, $22 million deal with the franchise last spring. This represented a large financial commitment from the organization to a player that had become a polarizing figure.
Reid was due to count $8 million against the Panthers’ salary cap in 2020. Releasing the player saved Carolina just $3 million in cap space and pile $5 million more on to their incredible dead cap money, which is comfortably the highest in the NFL.
One would think the Panthers regret giving Reid such a large deal. But even though his performances on the field were good enough in certain areas, it was not enough to see him continue his time with the franchise.
The Panthers have been very busy during the offseason getting rid of high-earning players who are seen to be underperforming. This might come with its own financial restrictions in the short-term. But it will allow the organization to build from the bottom up if things do not go according to plan next season.
Reid made just $1.69 million during his first season with the franchise. He proved he was worthy of a bigger role and even though he is no longer with the team, the player has received some substantial rewards financially from his time in Carolina.