Hashtag Sports
  • #Articles
  • #Episodes
  • #Staff
  • Ask Hashtag
What Drives You?

On the Clock: Carolina Panthers

3/2/2015

0 Comments

 
by Paul Wanecski
The Carolina Panthers are a recovering team. For several seasons, they have made mistakes in free agency signings and contract extension. It appears now that they are one season away from being able to take a giant leap forward. This draft will be a major component in getting the value and depth they need for the coming generation of Panther’s fans.
Synopsis:
The Panthers have only 19 players under contract for the 2016 year. They are rolling in with $15.75 million in current cap space and they cannot do much to squeeze much more out of the roster. HC Ron Rivera will have his hands full trying to find a left tackle and wide receiver this offseason.

Restructure:
LB Thomas Davis has finally turned in a healthy season and was very solid. He has earned himself a contract extension which will bring cap relief with restructuring some of his base salary into bonus money.

DE Charles Johnson’s contract is a disaster. His contract contains voidable years which means that he will have salary cap implications even when he isn’t on the team (right now, he will cost over $3 million against the cap for 2016 even though 2015 is the last year of his contract). While the team could work out an extension, he isn’t worth it.

TE Greg Olsen’s contract will also void at the end of this season. He should also be extended for another 2-3 seasons.

Resign:
DE Greg Hardy will not return.

LT Byron Bell is not really a left tackle. He will catch on with someone at the right tackle, it just won’t be the Panthers.

LB Chase Blackburn should not be extended an offer much above league minimum. If he turns it down, it is not a big issue for the team.

RB DeAngelo Williams has already been released, which was only a surprise to him.

Draft:

The Panthers would benefit from trading this pick away. While they do have a glaring need at adding wide receiver depth and will go on the hunt for a left tackle, the value they get for moving down might be the best thing for them. While free agency will not be plentiful with left tackles, wide recievers are a different story.

T DJ Humphries (Florida), T TJ Clemmings (Pittsburgh) and T Cedric Ogbuehi (Texas A&M) would be solid fits. If T Andrus Peat (Stanford) is still available (he shouldn’t be), he would be the pick.

The team will also need to find a pass rusher and this draft is full of them. The group is so deep, they make take this in the 2nd round or even wait until the 3rd. Of course all this changes if the team trades down.

Free Agency:
2015 will be the year of dumpster-diving for defensive end veterans or young controllable talent. Picking up DE Kony Ealy in the draft last year, along with losing Hardy this season and Johnson next season, the team will need to add players at a value while they clear out all these poor contracts.

Quick Guide to the Rookie Wage Scale (First Round Breakdown)

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Youtube Channel

    Archives

    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    Categories

    All
    2013 Buffalo Bills
    2014 Buffalo Bills
    2015 Buffalo Bills
    2015 NFL Draft
    2016 Buffalo Bills
    2017 Buffalo Bills
    2018 On The Clock
    2019 Buffalo Bills
    2019 Free Agency
    2019 On The Clock
    2020 Buffalo Bills
    2021 Buffalo Bills
    2022 On The Clock
    3 Step Drop
    Buffalo Bills
    Four Down Territory
    Misc
    MLB
    Monday Quick Slant
    Nba
    Nfl
    Nfl-draft
    Nhl
    On-the-clock-2015
    On-the-clock-2016
    On-the-clock-2017
    On-the-clock-2018
    Pocket-presence
    Quick-slant
    Road-trip
    Salary Cap
    The Good The Bad The Ugly
    Tuesday Cover 2
    Videos

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • #Articles
  • #Episodes
  • #Staff
  • Ask Hashtag