4 Carolina Panthers players who can outperform their pay grade in 2022

Myles Hartsfield – Carolina Panthers DB

• 2022 salary-cap number – $896,668

The Carolina Panthers’ secondary is a crowded place. Some returning stars coupled with the signing of Xavier Woods only made things more competitive for those lower down the pecking order to stake their respective claims this summer.

Although he’s generated more experience than most, Myles Hartsfield‘s taken on the challenge well this offseason and looks a lock to play a solid role once again. Another major boost for a player that rose from undrafted obscurity into a prominent part of the rotation.

This is a big year for Hartsfield, who looks set to occupy slot cornerback duties and help anywhere he can on the backend depending on injuries. Every team needs someone like the Ole Miss product, who is dependable and rarely puts a foot wrong despite being unfancied coming out of college.

Hartsfield counts just $896,668 against the salary cap next season. This already looks to be on the cheap side considering his growing emergence, but the player can’t afford to slip with a new deal potentially on the table before 2023 free agency.

The Panthers have a loaded cornerback room with high-end draft picks everywhere you look at the top-end. But one cannot dismiss Hartsfield’s hopes of making a huge splash given how hard he’s worked on improving his craft in recent months.