What shocking cuts could the Carolina Panthers contemplate as part of their drastic revamp under Dave Canales and Dan Morgan in 2024?
The Carolina Panthers are cash-strapped and looking to trim their roster fat. Those in power must take their medicine after inheriting a complete shambles from the previous regime. It's going to take a while to get this franchise back among the contenders. The time for quick fixes and band-aid solutions has long gone.
Dan Morgan's mini-cull has already begun. The Panthers plan to release or trade Donte Jackson before his $4 million roster bonus is due. They've also informed veteran tight end Hayden Hurst that his services are no longer required after one season with the organization.
After placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on edge rusher Brian Burns, there is just $13 million in salary-cap space available right now. Therefore, more moves could be on the way as the new power structure finally starts putting a long-term plan in place for sustainable success.
With this in mind, here are three shocking cuts the Panthers could make in 2024.
Xavier Woods - Carolina Panthers S
I won't spend much time on this because this shouldn't enter the Carolina Panthers' train of thought. Xavier Woods was one of the team's standout performers on defense last season, providing stability on the backend and exceptional communication to ensure others were in the correct positions more often than not. With defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero sticking around to work alongside Dave Canales, it makes sense to keep his core playmakers intact.
That said, the Panthers need to save money somehow. Releasing Woods provides $4.5 million in additional salary-cap space to spend elsewhere and adds another $3.25 million to the dead money total. It would be a controversial move all things considered, but something that will probably come up in their discussions.
Woods should feel extremely aggrieved if the Panthers went in this direction based on his performance levels over the last two years. This is a business above all else, but it would be a foolish move, in my opinion.
Bradley Bozeman - Carolina Panthers C
This would be a tough one considering the esteem in which Bradley Bozeman is held. He's an exceptional community presence and a likable character. But by Dave Canales' admission, there will be no sentiment attached to the team's decision-making process this offseason.
Bozeman performed extremely well during his first season with the Carolina Panthers. He slotted in seamlessly after finally getting the green light to replace Pat Elflein. The former sixth-round pick out of Alabama looked well suited to the demands placed on him by Steve Wilks and Ben McAdoo as part of their downhill, run-first approach. This resulted in a well-deserved contract extension.
Hopes were high that Bozeman could build on this and become the long-term center this team has craved since Ryan Kalil hung up his cleats. Unfortunately, things didn't go nearly as well during the 2023 campaign.
The player looked lost as all around him crumbled. Bozeman found life difficult within the zone-blocking scheme implemented by Thomas Brown and Frank Reich. He remained durable, but his eight sacks conceded became an ongoing frustration when more was expected.
With Canales also looking to adopt his form of a wide-zone blocking system to hopefully get this offense trending in the right direction, Bozeman faces a significant amount of work to adjust accordingly. While there are minimal savings attached to his release, the Panthers have shown a willingness to take a hit now to make things easier long-term.
Austin Corbett - Carolina Panthers OL
Again, this would be a harsh one. But with Austin Corbett coming off two significant knee injuries over consecutive seasons, the Carolina Panthers might decide to cut their losses with the imposing interior offensive lineman.
Corbett worked exceptionally hard to come back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 18 of the 2022 season. He lasted just four games and played 100 percent of snaps during that span before another knee complication sent him to injured reserve. This was a body blow and one that severely damaged quarterback Bryce Young's ability to get consistent protection.
With reports suggesting Carolina's new regime will target interior offensive linemen suited to Dave Canales' blocking concepts in free agency, Corbett's future could come under the microscope. Much will depend on the prognosis surrounding his return in 2024, but moving him on depending on what reinforcements arrive is a plausible avenue of pursuit.
Releasing Corbett with a post-June 1 designation comes with $6.25 million in savings attached and $3.88 million in dead money. Completely revamping the offensive line interior in one fell swoop comes with cohesion complications attached, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Corbett is a top-level performer when healthy. Unfortunately for the player, dependability on the health front has become an issue.