4 Panthers free agents in 2022 who must be paid this offseason

Which Carolina Panthers players who become free agents in 2022 should the team pay this offseason to avoid further complications down the line?

There has been plenty of player turnover where the Carolina Panthers are concerned this offseason. Year 1 of Matt Rhule’s reign as head coach was tinged with a “what might have been” thought after being so competitive against some top teams before faltering down the stretch. So if the necessary improvements are made in the coming weeks it should put them in a strong position to stake a bigger claim for postseason football.

Considering how little money is available due to a shrinking salary cap, those in power have done a tremendous job of improving the roster and still have plenty left over for some additional moves before the campaign begins.

Things should improve dramatically in 2022, with Spotrac predicting the cap to be around $209 million. This represents an astronomical leap and one that leaves the Panthers with around $68.9 million at their disposal before sacrifices are made.

The main one would probably be Teddy Bridgewater, who comes with a $26 million cap hit and would represent a saving of $21 million if he is moved on ahead of time. That takes Carolina to $90 million in extra resources, which would put them in a tremendous spot to be much bigger players in the market.

However, there is also the small matter of some prominent roster members who are also looking for an extension. Here are four such individuals that the Panthers must pay this offseason before they get the chance to increase their value in 2021.