Russell Okung Waiting On Retirement Call
- Russell Okung dealt with a health scare last year but did not opt out of the 2020 season. However, the Panthers‘ recently acquired left tackle is considering retirement. But Okung will wait on a decision for now. The 11th-year veteran will keep his options open as he goes further into camp, advisor J.I. Halsell told NFL reporter Josina Anderson (Twitter link). It’s possible the 31-year-old blocker wants to learn more about what this season’s COVID-19-defined environment will bring. Okung has a $13MM salary awaiting him this season but has already made a considerable amount of money in his career.
Panthers’ Russell Okung Mulling Retirement
Russell Okung battled serious health issues in his final year with the Chargers and strongly considered opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. The new Panthers left tackle starter is now weighing retirement, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
The 31-year-old tackle suffered a pulmonary embolism due to blood clots last year. The Chargers traded him to the Panthers for Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner in March.
One season remains on the four-year, $53MM contract Okung signed in 2017. He is set to make $13MM in base salary this season. If Okung deems the football environment unsafe this season, Fowler notes he is comfortable walking away. The former Seahawks first-round pick has played 10 NFL seasons.
Okung was a logical opt-out candidate and would have almost certainly received the $350K stipend for players who face higher risk of complications were they to contract the coronavirus. But he remains on Carolina’s active roster.
The Panthers lost both their guards from the 2019 season — Turner and Greg Van Roten — but return both players who primarily started at right tackle — Taylor Moton and second-year blocker Dennis Daley. Former tackle starter Daryl Williams left in free agency and is now with the Bills.
Should Okung walk away from the game, it would continue an exodus of veterans to leave the rebuilding Panthers this year. Luke Kuechly retired, while the team cut nine-year stalwarts Cam Newton and Greg Olsen. Mario Addison signed with the Bills, while James Bradberry defected to the Giants. An Okung departure would certainly be different, considering he was acquired after Matt Rhule took over.
2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
A total of 67 NFL players opted out of the 2020 season, leaving teams with major roster holes and newly-found cap space. Here’s the rundown of every team’s official cap figure, via ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter):
- Cleveland Browns – $40.5MM
- New England Patriots – $33.4MM
- Washington Football Team – $30.6MM
- Denver Broncos – $29.5MM
- New York Jets – $29.3MM
- Tennessee Titans – $25.2MM
- Miami Dolphins – $24.7MM
- Buffalo Bills – $24.2MM
- Philadelphia Eagles – $23.7MM
- Detroit Lions – $22.9MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $22.3MM
- New York Giants – $21.4MM
- Houston Texans – $21.1MM
- Cincinnati Bengals – $18.6MM
- Chicago Bears – $17.2MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars – $17MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $14.5MM
- Los Angeles Chargers – $13.7MM
- Green Bay Packers – $12.3MM
- Carolina Panthers – $13.2MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $13MM
- San Francisco 49ers – $12.5MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $12.4MM
- Dallas Cowboys – $9.9MM
- New Orleans Saints – $7.8MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $7.4MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $7MM
- Arizona Cardinals – $5.6MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $4.5MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $3.9MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $3.3MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $1.4MM
2020 NFL Opt Out Tracker
Per an agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA, players with COVID-19 health concerns can opt out of the 2020 season. Initially, the deadline was believed to be Tuesday, August 4. Talks between the league and the union have pushed it to August 6.
Chiefs guard and medical school graduate Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was the first player to officially opt out. Scores of players followed.
Here’s the rundown, so far:
Baltimore Ravens
- OT Andre Smith (story)
- WR De’Anthony Thomas (story)
Buffalo Bills
- CB E.J. Gaines (story)
- DT Star Lotulelei (story)
Carolina Panthers
- LB Jordan Mack
- LB Christian Miller
Chicago Bears
- DT Eddie Goldman (story)
- S Jordan Lucas
Cincinnati Bengals
- T Isaiah Prince (story)
- DT Josh Tupou (story)
Cleveland Browns
- DT Andrew Billings
- T Drake Dorbeck
- G Colby Gossett
- G Drew Forbes
- G Malcolm Pridgedon
Dallas Cowboys
- CB Maurice Canady (story)
- WR Stephen Guidry
- FB Jamize Olawale
Denver Broncos
- DT Joel Heath
- DT Kyle Peko
Detroit Lions
- WR Geronimo Allison (story)
- DT John Atkins
- C Russell Bodine (story)
Green Bay Packers
- WR Devin Funchess (story)
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
- DB Rolan Milligan
- LB Skai Moore
- DB Marvell Tell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- DE Lerentee McCray
- CB Rashaan Melvin (story)
- DT Al Woods (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (story)
- T Lucas Niang (story)
- RB Damien Williams (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- LB Ukeme Eligwe
- CB D.J. Killings
- DE Jeremiah Valoaga
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
- WR Allen Hurns (story)
- WR Albert Wilson (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- NT Michael Pierce (story)
New England Patriots
- RB Brandon Bolden (story)
- T Marcus Cannon (story)
- S Patrick Chung (story)
- LB Dont’a Hightower (story)
- WR Marqise Lee (story)
- OL Najee Toran
- FB Danny Vitale (story)
New Orleans Saints
- TE Jason Vander Laan
- TE Cole Wick
New York Giants
- CB Sam Beal
- WR Da’Mari Scott
- T Nate Solder (story)
- CB Shakial Taylor
New York Jets
- WR Josh Doctson
- OL Leo Koloamatangi
- LB C.J. Mosley (story)
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
- WR Travis Benjamin (story)
- OL Jake Brendel
- T Shon Coleman
Seattle Seahawks
- G Chance Warmack (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- T Brad Seaton
Tennessee Titans
- OL Anthony McKinney
Washington Football Team
Free agents
- G Larry Warford (story)
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/20
Here are today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived: CB Rojesterman Farris, DE Austin Larkin, DE Bryson Young
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived/injured: TE Jacob Breeland
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: LB Mike Bell
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed off waivers: RB Trenton Cannon (Jets)
Miami Dolphins
- Waived: CB Cordrea Tankersley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Claimed off waivers: TE Caleb Wilson (Washington)
- Placed on active/PUP: G Brandon Brooks
Panthers Release DE Chris Smith
In addition to releasing kicker Graham Gano, the Panthers parted ways with another vested veteran Thursday. They cut defensive end Chris Smith, David Newton of ESPN.com notes.
The Panthers signed Smith as a street free agent just before the new league year began. A six-year veteran, Smith signed a one-year deal with Carolina in March. He has played for the Jaguars, Bengals and Browns in a six-year career.
Smith’s two-year Cleveland tenure involved a tragedy; his girlfriend was killed in a traffic accident in September 2019. Smith played nine games for the Browns last season. He started two for Cleveland in 2018 but worked as a depth piece for the Jaguars and Bengals. He visited both the Bengals and Panthers in March.
Teams are gradually moving their rosters from the 90-man limit to 80 players, which will be the most teams can carry when on-field work begins August 16. While most teams have opted to cut less experienced players, the Panthers chose to jettison two more veterans during a year in which the team parted ways with numerous high-profile players.
Panthers Release K Graham Gano
The Panthers have released Graham Gano, according to a social media post from his wife (Twitter link via Joe Person of The Athletic). The veteran kicker was slated to make $3MM this year. 
Joey Slye, meanwhile, is under contract for just $675K. It’s a cost-cutting maneuver for Carolina, though the team will be left with even more dead money on the books. The Panthers have saved $2.8MM while taking on a leftover $1.5MM charge, to be dispersed over the next two years. All in all, the Panthers overhaul has saddled them with nearly $43MM in dead money in 2020.
Gano was tremendous in his last full season in 2017, sinking 29 of his 30 field goal tries for a league-leading 96.7% conversion rate. That performance earned him the first Pro Bowl bid of his career, and it also helped him secure a four-year, $17MM deal. Before his release, Gano had the fifth-highest AAV ($4.25MM) of any kicker in the NFL.
Now, the job belongs to Slye. Known for his strong leg, Slye nailed 78.1% of his kicks in 2019, with an 8-of-11 success rate from 50+ yards. He also missed four extra point tries, but the Panthers seem to think that he’ll tamp that number down moving forward.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/28/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the afternoon. With teams having until August 16 to cut their rosters from 90 to 80 players, many are doing so before on-field camp work begins.
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed off waivers (from Patriots): LB Kyahva Tezino
- Waived: OL Juwann Bushell-Beatty
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: RB Jordan Chunn, DT Garrett Marino
Denver Broncos
- Waived/NFI: WR Zimari Manning
Houston Texans
- Waived: LB Jamir Jones, LS Anthony Kukwa, QB Nick Tiano
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: TE Matt Lengel
Las Vegas Raiders
- Claimed off waivers (from Seahawks): G Jordan Roos
- Waived: DE Ade Aruna
New York Giants
- Claimed off waivers (from Broncos): DB Shakial Taylor
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: LB Joey Alfieri, CB Jermaine Kelly, S Derrick Kindred, QB Broc Rutter, OL Ray Smith
- Waived/NFI: WR Chris Finke
- Waived/non-football illness: Willie Henry
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived/NFI: LB Kendell Beckwith (as of Sept. 2019, the former starter was not planning to play again)
Washington Football Team
- Signed: OL Kevin Pamphile, LB Donald Payne
Panthers P Michael Palardy Tears ACL
The Panthers will make a change at punter this season. They have placed Michael Palardy on their reserve/non-football injury list. This will end his season.
This comes after Palardy, Carolina’s punter since 2016, suffered a torn ACL while training independently this summer, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The tear is in Palardy’s left leg, his kicking leg. While the five-year veteran hoped to kick through this, Pelissero adds surgery is now on tap.
Palardy has been the Panthers’ full-time punter since the start of the 2017 season. The franchise signed him in 2016, when he kicked in seven games for the then-defending NFC champions. Palardy has twice averaged 46 yards per punt, doing so in 2017 and ’19. He ranked 13th in this category last season.
The Panthers may well add a veteran leg to compete with rookie UDFA Joseph Charlton, who operated as South Carolina’s punter for the past three seasons.
Panthers Wrap Draft Class
The Panthers have signed their entire 2020 NFL Draft class, per a club announcement. First-round pick Derrick Brown got the party started in the spring, but the rest waited until this week to put pen to paper. The full rundown:
1-7: Derrick Brown, DT (Auburn): Signed
2-38: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE (Penn State): Signed
2-64: Jeremy Chinn, DB (Southern Illinois): Signed
4-113: Troy Pride Jr., CB (Notre Dame): Signed
5-152: Kenny Robinson, S (West Virginia): Signed
6-184: Bravvion Roy, DT (Baylor): Signed
7-221: Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, CB (Florida International): Signed
Gross-Matos stood out with 17.5 sacks and 37 hurries over the last two seasons, plus solid work against the run. On the flipside, some evaluators had concerns about his bulk. He’ll have to put some more muscle on his 6’5″, 265-pound frame in order to be a reliable three-down defensive lineman.
On the other side of the ball, the Panthers say they’ll be hanging on to wide receiver Curtis Samuel, despite an offseason full of trade rumors.