6 moves that can save the Panthers $50 million against their 2023 cap

What moves could the Carolina Panthers make to clear a significant amount of salary-cap space during the 2023 offseason?

If the Carolina Panthers want to put head coach Frank Reich in a position to succeed immediately, they must put themselves in a better financial state. Things look tight from a money standpoint despite the salary cap going up, which means those in power have some big decisions upcoming this off-season.

According to Spotrac, Carolina is $9.56 million in the red. This indicates some serious sacrifices need to be made if the Panthers want to become big players when the free-agent frenzy begins.

There is also the small matter of giving stud defensive end Brian Burns a bumper new contract to consider. Others such as Bradley Bozeman and D’Onta Foreman could also be extended depending on their contract demands.

Using the Over the Cap calculator, we picked out six moves that can save the Panthers a little more than $50 million against their cap in 2023.

Move No. 1

Carolina Panthers could cut Damien Wilson

• Cap savings: $3.61 million

It didn’t take long to figure out that Damien Wilson’s arrival in free agency wasn’t going to work out. The linebacker’s production was inconsistent at best and when Steve Wilks became interim head coach, he was seldom seen on the defensive rotation.

Despite a new coaching regime in the fold, cutting Wilson with one year remaining on his deal – saving $3.61 million – appears to be a no-brainer all things considered.