Panthers To Decline Jarius Wright’s Option
The Panthers will decline Jarius Wright‘s option for 2020, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The move will save the club $3MM against the cap. 
Had Wright’s option been exercised, he would have been in line for $1MM in guaranteed pay. Instead, he’ll look for work elsewhere after a so-so year. Wright, 31 in November, had just 28 grabs for 296 yards with no touchdowns in 2019. It was a drop-off from his 2018 season – his first with Carolina – when he had 43 catches for 447 yards and one score.
Wright spent his first six seasons with the Vikings and put together a solid stretch from 2013-15, recording at least 430 receiving yards in each of those seasons. But, once Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen emerged, he slipped in the pecking order.
In other Panthers news, the club is reportedly planning to keep Cam Newton as its starting quarterback in 2020. They’ll also evaluate their options when it comes to cornerback James Bradberry, but the pending free agent will be chased by a number of clubs and a reunion with Ron Rivera could be in the cards.
Panthers Plan To Keep Cam Newton
The Panthers plan to move forward with Cam Newton as their starting quarterback, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Things can change in the coming months, RapSheet cautions, but that’s the Panthers’ mindset at this time. 
There’s been lots of talk about a potential trade of the one-time MVP, but it’ll be months before Newton’s surgically-repaired foot is game-ready, and that hurts his potential trade value. The expectation is that the QB will be able to pass his physical by March, however.
The Panthers are in the midst of a rebuild after dismissing longtime head coach Ron Rivera and parting ways with tight end Greg Olsen. The new regime likes Newton though – Rapoport hears that Rhule & Co. have been encouraged by Newton’s approach to rehab and his decision to stay in the Charlotte area throughout the process. With so much changing on both sides of the ball, Rhule likes the idea of keeping his signal caller in place.
Newton missed all but two games last season, but he’d represent a solid value if he’s healthy. He’s set to earn just $18.6MM in base salary this season, which would make him a manageable bridge option for a younger QB in 2021. This year, the Panthers hold the No. 7 pick, where they’d likely see at least two QBs taken ahead of them. Moving up is an option, of course, but it’d be costly, and the Panthers will have many more needs to address in the lower reaches of the draft.
If the Panthers wind up with a top pick in 2021, they could be in range for prospects like Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/21/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers:
- Waived: TE Marcus Baugh
A 2018 UDFA out of Ohio State, Baugh is still waiting to make his NFL debut. He originally signed with the Raiders as a rookie.
Teams Can Give Newton A Physical
- Teams will be allowed to do their research on Panthers quarterback Cam Newton before committing to a trade. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com writes that a team can give a physical to a potential trade acquisition (with the permission of the incumbent team). Considering the former MVP has suffered a long list of injuries throughout his career, this will be an important hurdle to overcome during negotiations (especially, as Florio notes, if Newton is looking for a brand-new contract).
Latest On Panthers, Cam Newton
The Panthers hold one of the top assets in this offseason’s layered quarterback market, but Cam Newton‘s place as a trade chip cannot be fully known until a clearer picture of his recovery from Lisfranc surgery emerges. But the Panthers believe that recovery is going well.
The team expects Newton to pass his physical and be cleared for some football activity by March, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports (subscription required). This jibes with what has come out of the organization so far; the Panthers are planning to give the former MVP a chance to display his current form when he returns to football work in the spring.
While the Panthers are optimistic Newton will be ready to throw fairly soon, Newton’s status is murky. None of the David Tepper–Marty Hurney–Matt Rhule trio has confirmed the 30-year-old passer will be a Panther in 2020. Newton believes he will, but the contract-year quarterback would obviously intrigue other teams — ones who are not on a rebuild track the Panthers may well be. Newton has, however, been at the Panthers’ facilities this offseason during his recovery process — one that has thus far pleased team brass, per Rodrigue.
Even if Newton is ready to throw by March, the Panthers may be cautious with him and delay some of his work until April or May, per Rodrigue. However, it is certainly possible Newton will not be a Panther by then. In a complex quarterback landscape, teams may need to determine a course of action on Newton soon or risk losing another potential target on the free agent or trade market. The Panthers may also consider one of this year’s first-round quarterback prospects, adding more intrigue to this situation. Newton could serve as a mid-offseason trade chip, while it’s also possible Carolina unloads him earlier before he’s fully healthy if the right offer is made.
Newton is set to make just $18.6MM this season, which would make him a manageable bridge option for Rhule’s team and drive trade interest. It should be expected Newton’s status as a Panther will be determined by the draft, but considering the former Super Bowl starter’s recent injury history, the nine-year veteran may be one of the last quarterback dominoes to fall this offseason.
Latest On Panthers, Cam Newton
Cam Newton “absolutely” expects to return to the Panthers next season. However, team sources that spoke with The Athletic’s Joe Person are less-than-certain about his odds.
Earlier this year, owner David Tepper was non-committal when asked about the longtime franchise star. Given his health situation and the team’s move to part ways with beloved head coach Ron Rivera and tight end Greg Olsen, no one would be shocked to see Newton in a different uniform next year.
“Every player that buys into this, the more they buy into this, the more things can work,” Tepper said in January. “And that’s what we’re going to need here, is buy-in from people, OK? If we can get that kind of buy in sooner rather than later, no matter what the personnel is. We will try to use our personnel to the best possible [advantage], whoever that personnel is.”
Newton is still recovering from foot surgery and waiting for the green light to resume football activities. Thanks to the lingering Lisfranc injury, the former No. 1 overall pick was limited to just two games in 2019. We’ve heard that the Panthers want to see Newton on the practice field before making a determination on his future, but there’s no telling when he’ll be ready. If he can’t prove that he’s healthy within a reasonable timeframe, the Panthers could cut him to save $19.1MM.
Newton, 31 in May, captured the MVP trophy in the 2015 season. And, in 2018, he managed to complete a career-best 67.9% of his throws. Still, it’s been a rocky couple of years for the Panthers and the team seems intent on a rebuild under new head coach Matt Rhule. The Panthers could be in range for some of this year’s top quarterbacks with the No. 7 overall pick, but they’re reportedly higher on the 2021 crop which includes Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields. It’s also worth nothing that LSU’s Joe Burrow will be long gone by the time they take the podium, and many expect Tua Tagovailoa to go No. 5 overall to the Dolphins.
If released, Newton would join an unusually high-profile crop of available free agent quarterbacks, a group that will include some mix of Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, and Ryan Tannehill.
James Bradberry Eyeing Redskins?
On the cusp of his first turn through free agency, Panthers cornerback James Bradberry says he wouldn’t mind reuniting with former head coach Ron Rivera. 
[RELATED: Redskins Meet With Greg Olsen]
“I would love to play for Coach Rivera again,” Bradberry told NBC Sports. “He’s a great man and a great coach. He coached me for four years. I didn’t realize how much he meant to us until that day [he got fired]…Just how he spoke to us as men. He wasn’t overly aggressive unless he needed to be. He put his foot down when he needed to be.”
Of course, Bradberry added that he’s looking to be paid what he’s worth. For any team that signs him, that’ll require a significant commitment – the former second-round pick has stifled some of the league’s best receivers in Carolina, setting him up for a huge payday on the open market. In other words, if there’s any “discount” to be had for Rivera & Co., it won’t be a substantial one.
Meanwhile, Bradberry says that, ideally, he’d like to re-up with the only team he’s ever known.
“Dream scenario, I would love to continue my career with the Carolina Panthers,” he said. “I’ve been there for four years. One of my closest friends on the team, Shaq Thompson, he’s still there. I would love to get to finish the rest of my career alongside him.”
Thompson, a tenacious linebacker, inked a four-year, $54MM extension with the Panthers in December. That deal put him in the top five for all linebackers in the NFL, and Bradberry is also aiming for top placement at his position.
In 2019, Bradberry snagged three interceptions and registered 65 total tackles. The advanced metrics have never been too fond of his work, but Rivera is a fan, and a number of clubs will be interested in the 26-year-old (27 in August). He’s also be a logical fit from a football perspective, especially if Rivera drops another old colleague in Josh Norman.
Redskins To Hire GM After Draft
The Redskins are expected to go into the NFL Draft without a GM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Without a replacement lined up for Bruce Allen, Redskins VP of Player Personnel Kyle Smith will be in charge of draft operations in April.
The Redskins canned Allen on Dec. 30, after ten years at the helm. In that span, the Redskins went 62-97-1 and made the playoffs only twice.
The Redskins’ next GM likely won’t have complete control over the 53-man roster. New head coach Ron Rivera is expected to have significant sway when it comes to personnel, which could dissuade some of the league’s more experienced candidates.
Allen wasn’t the only significant front office figure to exit D.C. this offseason. In the wake of Allen’s dismissal, senior VP Eric Schaffer was expected to see an increased role. Instead, they parted ways with the cap guru after nearly two decades together.
Rapoport hears similar news for the Panthers – their assistant GM job will also be filled sometime after the draft. The Panthers made a run at hiring Andrew Berry, but the Eagles blocked them because the position did not include roster control. Ultimately, Berry became the Browns’ new GM, where he’ll have say over the 53-man roster.
Panthers Re-Sign Joey Slye
Joey Slye is set for another season in Carolina. On Thursday, the club announced a new deal with the kicker for the 2020 season. 
Slye was set to be an exclusive rights free agent this offseason, which means that he was more or less bound to the Panthers no matter what. But, with the new deal, he has a bit of early security and, perhaps, a modest pay bump over the slotted salary.
Slye wasn’t supposed to the Panthers’ kicker last season, but Graham Gano‘s sore knee forced him to the injured reserve list just before the start of the season and the Panthers had to pivot. Slye went on to connect on 25 of 32 field goals, and 31 of his 35 extra point attempts.
It was enough to get another look on a low-cost contract, but his misses won’t be automatically forgotten. In late November, for example, Slye left five points on the board against the Saints, who went on to win by three. That loss dropped the Panthers to 5-6 and more or less crushed their playoff hopes.
Gano, meanwhile, is under contract through the 2021 season. In 2020, he’s set to count for a $4.5MM cap charge.
Panthers Re-Sign DB Cole Luke
The Panthers have re-signed exclusive rights free agent CB Cole Luke to a one-year deal, the team announced. Luke finally got his first taste of regular season action last year, appearing in eight games for Carolina.
Luke, a Notre Dame product, hooked on with the Panthers as a UDFA in 2017. He spent most of his rookie season on IR with an ankle injury, and he was on he club’s practice squad for the entire 2018 campaign.
He got bumped up from the taxi squad halfway through the 2019 season, though most of his work came on special teams. He played just 15 defensive snaps against 117 special teams snaps, and he recorded two total tackles.
Still, the Panthers are in something of a transition period, and corners James Bradberry, Ross Cockrell, and Javien Elliott are all eligible for unrestricted free agency. While Carolina will almost certainly bring back Bradberry, there could be an opportunity for Luke to climb the depth chart in 2020.