5 Carolina Panthers players who will be grossly overpaid in 2022
By Dean Jones
Cam Erving – Carolina Panthers OT
- 2022 cap number: $6.51 million
One of the strangest decisions made by the Carolina Panthers in recent memory was signing left tackle Cam Erving to a two-year deal within hours of free agency getting underway. If the organization thought this was the answer to some long-standing complications on the blindside, it was clear from pretty early on that wasn’t going to be the case.
Erving was a draft bust even before he arrived in Carolina. Simply put, he did nothing to dispel this notion, and the former first-round pick should not start again providing the right reinforcements are found this offseason.
Carolina’s current regime has developed a questionable desire to pick up potential reclamation projects in the hope of galvanizing their fortunes. A mindset the organization simply has to move away from if they want to progress into a possible playoff contender moving forward.
Signing Erving was a major gamble that didn’t pay off. And the contract given to the Florida State product comes with a $6.51 million cap number in 2022.
Releasing Erving ahead of time saves Carolina just $2 million. So there is a high chance he’s still on the books as a very expensive backup option.
Erving’s lack of production coupled with a distinct lack of accountability meant this was never going to be a good fit. One the Panthers should end at the earliest possible opportunity.