4 more Carolina Panthers players who could get cut before the start of free agency
The Carolina Panthers appear ready to make a splash this offseason. So far, they have created a lot of extra 2021 salary cap room by making some cuts. Already, the team has released defensive tackle Kawann Short, free safety Tre Boston, defensive end Stephen Weatherly, punter Michael Palardy, defensive tackle Woodrow Hamilton and defensive back Natrell Jamerson.
With reports that we may see a “massacre” next week around the league as far as players getting cut, it’s possible we haven’t seen the last of them. Here are four more players who might get cut before free agency begins. All salary info comes via Over the Cap and assumes a post-June 1 designation.
TE Ian Thomas
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The case to cut: Thomas was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Since then he hasn't contributed much in the passing game, totaling just 72 catches, 614 yards and four touchdowns. He's also had issues with drops and hasn't gotten into a real rhythm with any of the quarterbacks he's worked with thus far. The Panthers need more production at this position if they're going to catch up with the heavyweights around the NFC South. The case to keep: Thomas is still pretty young. He will turn 25 years old in June, so it's possible there's potential in him we just haven't seen yet. Cutting him won't save a ton of money, in any case. Dead money: $186,998 Cap savings: $2,183,000
DB Juston Burris
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The case to cut: Signing Burris to a two-year, $8 million deal last offseason never made a ton of sense to begin with. At the time, Burris only had 11 starts in his NFL career and hadn't made much of an impact with the Browns or the Jets. He had a decent-enough 2020 season with the Panthers, but he's more of a backup DB than a true starter. Burris allowed three touchdowns and a passer rating over 100 in coverage and missed eight tackles (13.1%). The case to keep: Cutting Tre Boston was a questionable move by new general manager Scott Fitterer. With no other proven free safety currently on the roster, it opened up a big hole at a critical position. The Panthers probably can't afford to lose anymore safeties this offseason, even if they are best-suited for a backup role. Dead money: $1,050,000 Cap savings: $3,802,353
LB Shaq Thompson
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The case to cut: The size of Thompson's contract extension (four years, $54 million) was arguably one of the worst blunders by former GM Marty Hurney. While Thompson is undeniably a solid defender, it's difficult for any off-ball linebacker to justify that kind of salary in today's game with so much emphasis on passing. The real case for cutting Thompson is it would offer more cap relief than releasing anyone else on the roster. The case to keep: Overpaid or not, Thompson remains a tackling machine (he's posted 470 combined so far for his career) and he's relatively respectable in coverage for his position. Like Boston, the Panthers also don't have an easy answer for replacing him. Dead money: $3,200,000 Cap savings: $10,980,000
QB Teddy Bridgewater
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The case to cut: We have resisted this idea based on the massive dead money penalty the Panthers would incur. That said, it's become clear Bridgewater is not a starting-caliber kind of QB at this level. Getting back to the playoffs will more than likely require acquiring a more dynamic QB with a bigger arm, faster legs and above all a more aggressive mindset. That said, finding a trade partner for Bridgewater would be preferable to a cut. The case to keep: Even if he's not QB1 material, Bridgewater still has his strengths. He usually makes good decisions with the ball and has generally avoided costly turnovers for most of his pro career. If he's demoted he'd arguably be the league's most capable backup quarterback. That could be a valuable asset to have if the Panthers plan on starting a rookie in 2021. Dead money: $15,000,000 Cap savings: $7,953,125 [vertical-gallery id=634300]
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