5 blatantly obvious Carolina Panthers 2025 cut candidates entering Week 6
By Dean Jones
Adam Thielen - Carolina Panthers WR
- Dead cap figure: $1.66 million (post-June 1 designation)
- Money saved: $6.75 million
Adam Thielen still has the best hands on the Carolina Panthers. He's a slick route runner who remains a dependable asset over short-to-intermediate routes. The wide receiver's presence has been sorely missed during his spell on injured reserve with a hamstring issue, but all signs point to this being his final season with the franchise.
Thielen isn't getting any younger. The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State is an important part of the strategy this season and a respected figure in the locker room. However, this wasn't what he signed up for after being sold dreams of playoff contention that came to nothing by Frank Reich and Scott Fitterer.
The Panthers might look to dispose of some veteran pieces who aren't part of the team's long-term plans before the trade deadline. Thielen looks like a primary candidate provided he proves his fitness beforehand. If no willing suitor comes forward, then making him a salary-cap casualty during the offseason seems like a realistic scenario.
Cutting Thielen with a post-June 1 designation comes with $6.75 million in savings attached. This would also allow the wideout to finish his Pro Bowl career on a team with better chances of making a postseason run.
A'Shawn Robinson - Carolina Panthers DL
- Dead cap figure: $2.05 million (post-June 1 designation)
- Money saved: $6.6 million
A'Shawn Robinson was the Panthers' biggest acquisition on defense throughout the offseason - both financially and in physical stature. The formidable defensive lineman had a previous connection to Ejiro Evero from their time together on the Los Angeles Rams. He wasn't known as a prolific pass-rusher, but his prowess against the run is something that many expected to help enormously opposite Derrick Brown.
That hasn't been the case through Week 5. Losing Brown after just one game hasn't helped. It's allowed opposing protection schemes to hone in on Robinson and nullify his run-stopping. For all his positives, athleticism and ability to get off double teams is not his strong suit.
The former Alabama standout boasts a measly 50.3 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, which is ranked No. 101 out of 184 qualifying interior defensive linemen. If the same trend continues throughout the campaign, the Panthers must consider cutting their losses after just one season.
Releasing Robinson with a post-June 1 designation comes with $6.6 million in savings. Much will depend on whether Evero is still around by that point, but the Panthers need to find another young option to put alongside Brown long-term at some stage.