The Carolina Panthers have avoided the temptation of easing their salary-cap burden this offseason. Dan Morgan wants to handle the financial aspect better than previous regimes managed to accomplish. He also has a shrewd salary-cap manager to depend upon after Brandt Tilis joined from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024.
There were some odd decisions to those on the outside looking in. The biggest centered on veteran right tackle Taylor Moton's future with the franchise beyond the upcoming campaign.
Moton has one year remaining on his deal. He is comfortably the team's highest earner in 2025, counting a whopping $31.34 million against the cap. For context, right guard Robert Hunt is the next highest at $21.65 million.
Most fans thought Moton would be extended this offseason. He's been the model of consistency throughout his time with the Panthers, and another commitment could have increased Carolina's cap flexibility this season for good measure.
Morgan's adopted a wait-and-see approach instead. The Panthers feel comfortable absorbing Moton's cap number without restructuring or extending him as things stand. But the fact he missed games for the first time last season, coupled with the fact he'll be 31 years old soon, is giving the front-office reason to pause.
Head coach Dave Canales recently revealed that if Moton's performance levels remain high, he'll be rewarded accordingly. That might cost more, but it's a risk the Panthers are willing to take.
Taylor Moton named among most coveted 2026 free agents, but Carolina Panthers cannot let things get that far
David Popper from The Athletic thought Moton would be among the hottest commodities on the free-agent market if Carolina inexplicably let things get that far. The analyst placed the former second-round pick at No. 23 on his list of potential 2026 free agents as he looks to earn another lucrative deal from the Panthers or elsewhere when competitive action begins.
"[Taylor] Moton has been a steady and dependable pass protector at right tackle over his eight seasons in Carolina, and that continued in 2024. He signed a five-year, $85 million extension with the Panthers in 2021 and will complete that contract in 2025."David Popper
The Panthers hold the cards, so there's no need to panic. Morgan and Tilis are running the front office with more professionalism. If they feel comfortable extending Moton in-season, should his consistency remain, things should be relatively straightforward to resolve.
If things get a little more complicated, the Panthers could place the franchise tag on Moton. That won't be cheap, but it gives them some extra breathing space to work out an extension while also keeping him around for another season at least. Hopefully, something will be resolved much sooner than that.
Moton is one of the league's most underrated edge protectors and has been for some time. He rarely puts a foot wrong, is dependable from a health standpoint, and is a quiet leadership figure that everyone in the locker room respects. The dependable veteran was a beacon of light amid the chaos — something that would have come with more individual accolades had Carolina achieved any semblance of team success.
The Panthers haven't had many glue guys throughout a dysfunctional period in franchise history, but he's one of them. Letting Moton walk is not an option, especially if his superb career continues next time around.