Panthers To Pick Up Brian Burns’ Fifth-Year Option
Despite the 2020 CBA making teams’ fifth-year option decisions a bit trickier, the Panthers have a fairly easy call to make. They will pick up Brian Burns‘ 2023 option, GM Scott Fitterer said (via The Athletic’s Joe Person, on Twitter).
Since Burns has received one Pro Bowl invite as an original selection, he is eligible for the Tier 2 option price ($16MM for defensive ends). That amount is fully guaranteed. Only six edge rushers’ cap numbers top that this year, but the Panthers will be connected to a Burns extension — one that likely will be targeted in 2023.
The Florida State product arrived during the Ron Rivera–Marty Hurney regime and has been a steady producer in Carolina. Burns has accumulated 25.5 sacks in three seasons, never finishing with fewer than 7.5, and he was named a Pro Bowl starter during a 2021 season in which he finished with nine sacks and 18 quarterback hits.
Carolina’s Matt Rhule regime made a preemptive strike by signing Christian McCaffrey to an extension with two years of team control remaining, doing so in 2020. In general, teams hesitate to do this. Burns will make just $2.3MM in base salary this season and count $4.3MM against the cap.
Panthers Re-Sign S Juston Burris
The Panthers are bringing back Juston Burris. Carolina is re-signing the safety to a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s David Newton (on Twitter).
Following a 2019 season where he started a career-high nine games with Cleveland, Burris inked a two-year, $8MM deal with the Panthers. He started 12 of his 13 games in 2020, collecting 53 tackles, four passes defended, and one interception.
He entered the 2021 campaign as the starting safety, but he missed almost two months of the season while sitting on injured reserve. Burris finished the season having started eight of his 10 games, finishing with 23 tackles and one interception. He saw time in about two thirds of his team’s defensive snaps.
The former fourth-round pick spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the Jets. He’s also had stints with the Raiders and Browns (two stints).
Panthers Still Searching For LT Help
- The Panthers have struggled for years to lock down their left tackle position. They are still pursuing an answer here, per Fowler, who adds Carolina looked into Trent Brown‘s market. It does not appear Carolina wants to spent too much at the O-line’s most expensive position, with Fowler also noting the team viewed $10-$12MM per year as too rich for Brown, who re-signed with the Patriots for a deal that did not hit that price range. Brown’s deal is worth $6.5MM a year (base value). Panthers target Duane Brown remains on the market.
Panthers Re-Sign DB Rashaan Melvin
Rashaan Melvin will be back in Carolina next season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the defensive back is re-signing with the Panthers.
Melvin had transformed into a true NFL journeyman, and a two-year stint with a team is a rarity. The 32-year-old will have a chance to make it two-straight years with the Panthers following a 2021 campaign where he collected 16 tackles in 10 games (two starts).
Since going undrafted out of Northern Illinois in 2013, the linebacker has also had stints with Buccaneers, Dolphins (two stints), Ravens, Patriots, Colts, Raiders, Lions, and Jaguars. Melvin started a pair of playoff games for Baltimore in 2014.
The defensive back sat out the 2020 campaign, but he actually had a career year as recently as 2019. Melvin finished that season with 12 starts in 13 games, collecting a career-high 68 tackles to go along with 11 passes defended.
Latest On LB Jermaine Carter
The Panthers recently added to their linebacking corps with the addition of Cory Littleton. A mainstay at the position from last season could very well be on the move, however. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports that Jermaine Carter has generated a significant market for himself (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Panthers Sign Littleton]
Specifically, La Canfora states that Carter is “drawing interest from a multitude of teams”. The 27-year-old was a fifth-round pick of Carolina in 2018. His role has grown with each passing season, as he’s transitioned more from a special-teamer to a defensive starter. He was on the field for 78% of the unit’s snaps in 2021.
That increased playing time, not surprisingly, led to a career year in terms of production. Carter totalled 88 tackles, along with one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. His career arc has been timed well, as he is an unrestricted free agent immediately following that breakout campaign.
The Maryland product could field any number of offers from teams looking for upside at the position. Interestingly, the Panthers are currently listed among the teams with the most cap space in hand, so a return is still a possibility, at least from a financial standpoint. With significant money already invested in Shaq Thompson and the signing of Littleton, however, Carter could soon find a new home as he looks to cash in on his recent improvement.
Panthers Rework RB Christian McCaffrey’s Contract
Christian McCaffrey has helped the Panthers open up some extra cap. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the running back has agreed to a “simple restructure” of his contract. The move will open $5.5MM in cap space.
[RELATED: Panthers Listening On Christian McCaffrey Trade Calls]
McCaffrey’s contract furnishes him with $16MM/year on average, an all-time record for running backs. And, as the years go on, that cap hit escalates. This year, it’ll be a $14.3MM figure. In 2023 and 2024, he’s in line for cap hits of $17.7MM. It’s uncertain how the restructuring alters those numbers, but there’s a good chance McCaffrey still tops the position in earnings.
McCaffrey has been in the news this offseason for a (somewhat) surprising reason. We heard earlier this month that the All-Pro running back was generating trade interest, and we later learned that the front office was open to the right offer for the RB. The team was reportedly seeking a first-round pick and a cap-friendly contract, but McCaffrey‘s hefty contract would surely complicate any negotiations.
McCaffrey, 26 in June, has played just ten games over the past two seasons. Before the ankle and hamstring injuries, CMC was a 2019 All-Pro with an NFL-leading 2,392 scrimmage yards.
Panthers Not Interested In Baker Mayfield?
Already attempting to replace one member of the 2018 quarterback class, the Panthers would make sense as a suitor for another. They have been linked to a few quarterbacks as Sam Darnold upgrades, but Baker Mayfield may not appeal to the QB-needy franchise.
Carolina is not believed to be interested in trading for Mayfield, David Newton of ESPN.com tweets. Mayfield’s camp did engage in discussions with the Panthers recently, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, but it does not sound like anything is brewing (subscription required).
For what it’s worth, Mayfield is also uninterested in being traded to the Panthers, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes. But with the Colts trading for Matt Ryan and other teams having previously checked off their QB needs, options for the Browns on Mayfield are dwindling.
Like Darnold, Mayfield is attached to a fully guaranteed fifth-year option salary. Both QBs check in at $18.9MM for 2022. Mayfield sought a trade to the Colts, but they were not as interested. The Seahawks have loomed as an interested party, but if the Panthers are not pursuing him as well, the Browns’ trade compensation will be limited. The Panthers sent second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Jets for Darnold last year. Despite Mayfield having enjoyed a better start to his career than his 2018 classmate, the former No. 1 overall draft choice is unlikely to fetch that kind of return for the Browns.
The Broncos, Steelers, Commanders, Colts, Saints and Falcons have joined the Browns in making moves to acquire a long-term starter or a bridge QB this offseason. The Buccaneers saw their legendary passer quickly unretire. All this limits the market for Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo. The Seahawks make less sense for Garoppolo. Intra-divisional QB trades have happened, in the cases of Drew Bledsoe and Donovan McNabb earlier this century, but are very rare. The Panthers would be a better fit for Garoppolo, but if they do not view he or Mayfield as sufficient upgrades, this is a clear team to monitor in the draft.
Matt Rhule, GM Scott Fitterer and new OC Ben McAdoo went to Kenny Pickett‘s pro day Monday and were at Malik Willis‘ Tuesday, Newton notes. The Panthers have been linked to both players. Mike Tomlin, Steelers OC Matt Canada and front office personnel trekked to Willis’ pro day, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Atlanta and Washington had front office staffers there as well. Holding the No. 6 overall pick — behind the Jaguars, Lions, Texans, Jets and Giants — the Panthers are in good position to be able to select this draft’s top QB there. Formerly a higher-profile prospect than either Willis or Pickett, Mayfield remains in limbo after the Browns replaced him with Deshaun Watson.
Restructured Deals: Packers, Broncos, Bills, Patriots, Giants
As free agency continues, teams will keep finding ways to open up additional cap. We’ve had a handful of reworked contracts in recent days, which we’ve compiled below:
- The Packers opened $10.15MM in cap space by restructuring the contracts of wideout Randall Cobb (which was previously reported) and safety Adrian Amos, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). ESPN’s Rob Demovsky tweets that Green Bay turned $5.88MM of Amos’ $7MM base salary into a signing bonus and added four void years.
- The Broncos opened up some space via a pair of restructured deals. Wideout Tim Patrick converted $6.9MM of his roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating around $4.6MM in cap space, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter). The Broncos also converted receiver Courtland Sutton‘s $10.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus, saving $7.875MM in 2022 cap space, per Klis (on Twitter).
- The Panthers converted $11.765MM of wideout Robby Anderson’s 2022 pay into a signing bonus, creating $5.88MM in cap space, per Yates (on Twitter). Staying in the NFC, Yates also tweets that the Eagles converted $14.88MM of cornerback Darius Slay’s salary into a signing bonus, creating $11.90MM in 2022 cap space.
- The Giants converted $2.63MM of kicker Graham Gano’s salary into a bonus, creating $1.753MM in cap space, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The team also added a void year to the contract, something GM Joe Schoen was trying to avoid (per Raanan).
- After getting traded to the Bills, quarterback Case Keenum agreed to rework his contract. Per Yates (on Twitter), Keenum reduced his base salary to $3.5MM. Another AFC East team, the Patriots, also got into the game, reducing defensive end Henry Anderson‘s base salary from $2.5MM to $1.25MM (per Yates).
- Yates passes along three more restructures (on Twitter): the Vikings opened $6MM in cap space by reworking safety Harrison Smith‘s contract, the Bills opened $5.172MM via linebacker Matt Milano‘s contract, and the Titans opened $6.45MM via linebacker Zach Cunningham‘s contract.
Contract Details: Watson, Adams, Stafford, Jones, Maye, Reed, Joseph-Day, Bozeman
Here are the latest details from contracts recently agreed to across the league, starting with the Browns’ fully guaranteed deal for their new quarterback.
- Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): Five years, fully guaranteed $230MM. Everything else about Watson’s Cleveland arrival is complicated; his contract is not. Following the 2022 season, in which the Browns reduced his salary to $1MM due to the likely forthcoming suspension, Watson is set to make $46MM in base salary from 2023-26, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.
- Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): Four years, $160MM. The Rams are keeping Stafford’s base salaries down in the near future; they reside at $1.5MM for both 2022 and ’23, per OverTheCap. The team gave its quarterback a $60MM signing bonus, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. There are no void years on this deal, which includes $49.5MM, $50.5MM and $49.5MM cap numbers from 2024-26.
- Davante Adams, WR (Raiders): Five years, $140MM. Adams’ deal surpasses DeAndre Hopkins‘ $27MM-per-year pact, but it is essentially a three-year, $67.5MM accord, Florio notes. Only $22.75MM is guaranteed at signing, but by early 2023, $42.9MM in injury guarantees shift to full guarantees. The Raiders have Adams tied to a $3.5MM 2022 base salary, helping for cap purposes, with a $20MM roster bonus representing part of that $42.9MM guarantee in 2023. Adams’ 2023 salary is set to be $6MM. His 2025 and ’26 salaries — $35.6MM apiece — are nonguaranteed.
- Chandler Jones, OLB (Raiders): Three years, $51MM. The Raiders guaranteed Jones $32MM, with SI.com’s Howard Balzer noting the deal includes an $8.5MM roster bonus (Twitter link). The Raiders, who have Jones tied to base salaries of $4MM in 2022 and $7.5MM in 2023, tacked on two void years for cap purposes.
- D.J. Reed, CB (Jets): Three years, $33MM. Reed collected $10.5MM guaranteed at signing and will count just $4.6MM against the Jets’ cap this year, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com tweets. Reed is set to count $14.2MM against the Jets’ 2023 and ’24 caps.
- Marcus Maye, S (Saints): Three years, $22.5MM. Originally reported as three years and $28.5MM, Maye’s deal does include $14.5MM guaranteed, per Spotrac (on Twitter). Maye’s 2022 cap hit is just $2.6MM, and the Saints included two void years. Maye’s cap hits for 2023 and ’24 are $8.6MM and $8.7MM, respectively.
- Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT (Chargers). Three years, $24MM. Joseph-Day will receive $16.5MM guaranteed, which is up from initial reporting here. His 2022 and ’23 base salaries — $2.5MM and $6.5MM — are guaranteed, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
- Bradley Bozeman, OL (Panthers): One year, $2.8MM. Bozeman will receive a $1MM signing bonus and a $1MM base salary, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets.
Contract Details: Jackson, Muhammad, Nwosu
Rounding up a few contract details from recent deals:
- Donte Jackson, CB (Panthers): Three-year, $35.18MM. The contract, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, has a guaranteed amount of $16.76MM consisting of an $11MM signing bonus and the first two years’ base salary of $1.04MM in 2022 and $4.72MM in 2023. On the third league day of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Jackson would be due $4MM roster bonuses. The deal also includes a per game active bonus of $100,000 that can earn him up to $1.7MM per season.
- Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE (Bears): Two-year, $8MM. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $3.3MM consisting of a $1MM signing bonus, the first year’s base salary of $1.5MM, and the first year’s roster bonus of $800,000. Muhammad would be due an identical roster bonus on the third league day of 2023. He also has a per game active bonus of $35,294 for a potential season total of $600,000.
- Uchenna Nwosu, DE (Seahawks): Two-year, $19.06MM. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $10.54MM consisting of a signing bonus of $9.5MM and the first year’s base salary of $1.04 MM. The second year’s base salary jumps to $7.5MM. The deal includes a per game active bonus of $30,000 for a potential season total of $510,000.