5 more cap-saving cuts the Carolina Panthers could make soon
By Dean Jones
Stephen Weatherly – Carolina Panthers DE
- Cap saving – $5.9 million
There was some real hope that Stephen Weatherly could finally rid himself of the “solid rotational piece” tag when he signed for the Carolina Panthers in free agency last year. The former seventh-round pick worked hard to earn this opportunity after playing a big role with the Minnesota Vikings, but things didn’t go according to plan in a different environment.
Weatherly struggled to make the necessary impact and did not register a single sack before he went to the reserve/injured list ahead of Week 10.
More importantly, things seemed to get better on the defensive front without Weatherly on the rotation, which will make cutting him with a saving of $5.9 million a virtual guarantee before free agency.
This was a signing that didn’t pay off for the Panthers. But unlike the situation they are currently facing with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, they did at least give themselves a good out on Weatherly’s deal in this eventuality.
There is no doubt Weatherly will get another job somewhere. His production behind Pro Bowl duo Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter in Minnesota will see to that. But his hopes of becoming a prominent starter in the NFL are probably over.