Panthers Rumors: Gross, Hardy, Draft
With the combine now underway in Indianapolis, we’ve covered a significant number of the NFL’s 32 teams in at least one of our Thursday posts, but we’ve yet to mention the Panthers at all today. Let’s remedy that, and check out what GM Dave Gettleman had to say about the team’s offseason during his media availability….
- Offensive tackle Jordan Gross has had two lengthy conversations with Gettleman since the season ended, but remains undecided on whether or not he’ll continue his playing career, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Gettleman, who will speak to Gross again when he returns from an Idaho ski trip within the next few days, said that the veteran lineman has “earned the right” to take his time to make a decision on his future, though if he decides to return to Carolina, there will be salary cap ramifications for the team to consider.
- Within the same piece, Person writes that the future of longtime Panthers receiver Steve Smith is “part of the evaluation process,” according to Gettleman. The GM hasn’t had any conversations with Smith about the possibility of retirement.
- Asked about free-agent-to-be Greg Hardy, Gettleman pointed to the Panthers’ cap constraints and suggested that the team will be very careful about committing big money to its standout defensive end, either on a long-term deal or via the franchise tag. Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer has the GM’s quotes.
- Person got the impression from listening to Gettleman that the Panthers will be more inclined to sign one-year contracts than multiyear deals going forward (Twitter link).
- Gettleman warned against tying the Panthers to a specific player or position in mock drafts, telling reporters, including Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), that the club will take the best player available in May.
Panthers Tops In “Dead Money”
Thanks in large part to last season’s trade of Jon Beason, the Panthers have $17.8MM in “dead money,” more than any team in the league, according to ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert (full chart here). “Dead money” is defined as cap space consumed by players no longer on the roster, whether they retired, were released or traded. The numbers will fluctuate as rosters continue to evolve, but listed below are the five teams with at least $10MM worth of “dead money” at present time, including the players accounting for most of the sunk costs:
- Panthers ($17.8MM): Beason ($8MM), Jordan Gross ($5.6MM), James Anderson ($2.8MM)
- Bills ($12.1MM): Ryan Fitzpatrick ($8MM), Mark Anderson ($3MM), Rian Lindell ($1.38MM)
- Cowboys ($11.8MM): Jay Ratliff ($6.9MM), Nate Livings ($2.1MM), Marcus Spears ($1.4mM), Sean Lissemore ($1.2MM)
- Saints ($10.5MM): Roman Harper ($3.7MM), Jabari Greer ($2.7MM), Will Smith ($2.4MM), Garrett Hartley ($1MM)
- Cardinals ($10.1MM): Levi Brown ($6.5MM), Adam Snyder ($3MM)
At the other end of the spectrum, six teams have less than $1MM in “dead money”: Jets, Rams, Buccaneers, Colts, Seahawks and Bengals.
NFC Notes: Delmas, Falcons, Panthers
The Eagles will be targeting safeties this offseason in an effort to upgrade their secondary, but veteran free agent Louis Delmas doesn’t appear to be on their wish list, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com. A source tells Frank that the Eagles have “little interest” in the former Lion, who was released by Detroit last week, and that disinterest is likely related to Delmas’ health. While the 26-year-old free safety started all 16 games in 2013, he has had surgeries on both knees in recent years, and missed 13 of 32 regular season contests in 2011 and 2012.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- In a Tuesday news release, CBS Sports confirmed that Tony Gonzalez will be joining the network’s pregame studio show, replacing the departing Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe. The new job for Gonzalez essentially rules out a return to the field in 2014, meaning the Falcons will get $7MM in cap savings, as ESPN’s Adam Caplan outlines (via Twitter).
- Noting that the Panthers haven’t really begun negotiating with any of their prospective free agents yet, ESPN.com’s David Newton says there’s no reason to get worked up about Cam Newton‘s contract situation, since he’ll get paid eventually, whether it happens this offseason or down the line.
- The Cowboys will have to lock up wide receiver Dez Bryant and left tackle Tyron Smith at some point, and Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com believes a new deal for Smith should take precedence.
- Following up on the latest Sam Bradford rumors, Andrew Cohen of OverTheCap.com breaks down the four scenarios for the Rams: Releasing Bradford, extending him with a pay cut, extending him without a pay cut, and standing pat.
NFC South Links: Franchise Tag, Combine
Panthers‘ Greg Hardy‘s impending free agency has been at the forefront of conversation in the NFL world these past few weeks, and Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer added to the chatter today, writing that while they want the star pass rusher back, applying the franchise tag on him would eat up all of the team’s remaining cap room. David Newton of ESPN.com agrees that it isn’t about whether the Panthers would like to, but instead whether they could afford to. Unless they can come to a long term agreement quickly, it seems more and more likely that Hardy would be able to reach unrestricted free agency. Here are some other links from around the NFC South:
- While Hardy, Captain Munnerlyn, and Cam Newton have been the big names of the Panthers‘ offseason, David Newton wrote that the team cannot forget to focus on improving their offensive line, even with their current cap woes.
- The Falcons do not have any logical candidates for the franchise tag this offseason, writes Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. The tag could come into play in the 2015 offseason if the team is unable to sign wide receiver Julio Jones to an extension.
- With the scouting combine fast approaching, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlights five prospects the Falcons should keep an eye on. Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today picks out five position of need for the team to address in the draft.
- Reyes also wrote about five positions of need for the Saints to address in the draft, and suggested a few prospects who could fill those needs.
- The Buccaneers do not have a player who is a logical franchise tag candidate, writes Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com. Before the season, quarterback Josh Freeman was considered a likely use for the tag. Freeman was benched and then released early in the season.
Cam Newton Seeking Extension
Our own Dallas Robinson let it be known that Cam Newton will not hold out while looking for a long-term contract, but that doesn’t mean the Panthers quarterback is content to let his current deal play out. Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer writes that Newton would like the team to come to terms with him on a long term extension.
“My agreement with the Panthers, it’s not something that you can just say off the top of your head,” Newton said. “Hopefully I will be able to get that long-term deal because Charlotte is a place that I can call home.”
The fear for players drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft is that not only will the teams exercise the fifth year option, but then will still have the option to apply the franchise tag to them. That gives the team six years of control of a player’s career. The individual player would have very little leverage in this situation, and the thought is that it could cause a player to hold out until he is given a new deal.
When Robinson wrote that Newton would not hold out, he mentioned that Cardinal cornerback Patrick Peterson might hold out to ensure a long-term contract. Star defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson also has had to deal with questions about a potential holdout.
Newton is right about the reasons his situation is different when talking about holding out. He is the face of that franchise, and as a quarterback, a leader on that team.
Of course, no matter what he says publicly, no player wants to play on a one-year contract in that fifth year, with no long-term security. This is especially true when a team can place a franchise tag on a player rather than committing to them and providing the financial security that comes with a contract extension. The longer the Panthers push negotiation talks into the future, the more likely a potential holdout from the face of the franchise becomes.
Cam Newton Will Not Hold Out
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton will not hold out in the hopes of getting a contract extension, he told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio (who was guest hosting The Dan Patrick Show). While Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson may use a hold-out as a way to angle for an extension, Newton says he won’t follow suit. “I think our positions are completely different,” he told Florio. “Being the leader of this team, I don’t think that would be a good look for me.”
Newton continued, noting that his priorities are on the field. “My main focus is trying to become a better player. I think Russell Wilson put a lot of pressure on young quarterbacks [by winning the Super Bowl], but needless to say, we don’t have that fallback answer no more. We’re no longer young quarterbacks.”
Newton is in the fourth year of his rookie deal, and is set to earn about $3.4MM. Under the new CBA, the Panthers hold a fifth-year option on the star quarterback. Newton’s free agency will make for an interesting precedent. Not only will he be the first franchise quarterback to get an extension who was drafted under the new CBA (as Gregg Rosenthal notes), but he will also be the first star QB signed since Michael Vick who is valued for his running ability as much as his passing acumen. Newton’s rushing prowess obviously adds to his overall value, but it could also make the Panthers worried about his risk of injury.
Munnerlyn Wants To Stay With Panthers
Captain Munnerlyn is coming off his best season, and is looking to cash in with a long-term deal. He stated in a phone interview on Friday that he would like to remain with the Panthers, after the team finished 13-3 behind a greatly improved defense, writes Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.
“I think I had one of my best years. And I think my market value will be a little bit better than last year,” Munnerlyn said. “I want to stay with the Carolina Panthers because that’s the team that drafted me. I love the organization, and I feel that’s the best team that fits me personality-wise. I love the coaching staff. I want to stay there.”
However, the Panthers have not begun talks with the free agent cornerback. The team is in a very tight cap situation going forward, and have many free agents at key spots, including star defensive end Greg Hardy and the rest of the team’s secondary.
“It’s been real quiet, which is shocking. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just waiting,” said Munnerlyn. “I guess they’re going to let everyone hit free agency.”
Munnerlyn is expected to be a priority for the team, with the Panthers scheduled to speak with his agent during the scouting combine next week. Despite the club’s cap situation, Munnerlyn is looking at a good raise compared to the $1.1MM deal he signed last offseason.
NFC South Notes: Gonzalez, Graham, Panthers
Former Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano was in the news again today, with a report suggesting that his candidacy in the Browns’ coaching search contributed to the rift between CEO Joe Banner and owner Jimmy Haslam. The Bucs themselves aren’t making headlines at the moment, but here are a few of the latest items on their division rivals in the NFC South:
- In a recent ESPN The Magazine interview, retiring tight end Tony Gonzalez left the door slightly open for a possible return to the Falcons later in the 2014 season, “if the team is hot in November, 9-2 or something.” However, it doesn’t sound like GM Thomas Dimitroff is anticipating having Gonzalez back. Speaking to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, Dimitroff simply said, “I believe Tony Gonzalez has retired and he’ll have a fantastic career in the media business.”
- While Jimmy Graham was split out as a receiver for about two-third of his snaps in 2013, that fact alone doesn’t tell the whole story about his position, writes John McTigue of ESPN.com (Insider link). In McTigue’s view, Graham will still be considered a tight end if and when the Saints designate him as their franchise player, but when he eventually receives a long-term deal, he should get wide receiver money.
- When I asked earlier in the week whether Graham should be viewed as a tight end or wide receiver for franchise salary purposes, over 60% of you went with TE.
- With three of the four defensive backs who finished the season as starters eligible for free agency, the Panthers will have to make their secondary an area of focus this offseason, writes David Newton of ESPN.com. As Newton suggests, this year’s cornerback class is strong enough that Carolina could likely find a starter in the second round of the draft.
NFC South Notes: Hardy, Panthers, Bucs
ESPN.com’s David Newton deems it likely that defensive end Greg Hardy will return to the Panthers, estimating the likelihood of a reunion at 67%. While a long-term contract would seem to be the in the best interests of both the team and the player, the franchise tag (at around $12MM) might be the most plausible option at this point. We noted yesterday that Hardy may not be re-signed due to financial constraints.
Meanwhile, other news abounds in the NFC South:
- Within the same article, Newton notes that safety Charles Godfrey might be saved from being a cap casualty due to simple finances. Cutting Godfrey would leave the Panthers with $5MM in dead money, and, obviously, without Godfrey. A contract restructure could be the more likely result.
- Newton writes that corners Josh Norman and Josh Thomas, each of whom were frequently inactive, could be released.
- Offensive tackle Jordan Gross is expected back with the team, although the Panthers could draft a future replacement in the early rounds of the draft.
- Back on the Hardy front, Pat Yasinkas of ESPN.com does not believe the Buccaneers are a realistic landing spot for the defensive end. While they have cap space, it may not be enough to sign a star like Hardy, so the draft might be a better route for adding pass rushers.
- The Saints will likely attempt to add a veteran corner through free agency, and a young receiver through the draft, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com.
- Triplett also notes that while the Saints won’t add players with the specific intention of transforming to a more traditional 3-4-style defense, their most pressing need remains the front seven.
Panthers Could Let Hardy Walk
In a year’s time, Panthers second-year GM Dave Gettleman has taken the team from $16MM over the salary cap to approximately $16MM under the cap. Ostensibly, that’s enough to bring free agent defensive end Greg Hardy back into the fold, be it on a long-term deal or one-year franchise tender, but it’s not that simple, according to the Charlotte Observer’s Joseph Person.
Hardy’s bookend, veteran sack artist Charles Johnson, carries a team-high $16.24MM cap hit in 2014. So while retaining a budding pass rusher seems like an obvious move, sacrificing Hardy to maintain financial flexibility is a realistic scenario. Person also floats the idea of a “tag-and-trade” scenario, which would garner better compensation than the Panthers would receive if they just let Hardy sign elsewhere.
Also factoring in the decision is the uncertainty of left tackle Jordan Gross‘ future, looming big-money extensions for young stars Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly and other current free-agent priorities, including cornerback Captain Munnerlyn and receiver/returner Ted Ginn Jr. Person points out that Gettleman got creative last year by cutting veterans and restructuring others. If he goes that route again, safety Charles Godfrey, recovering from an Achilles injury, could be on the chopping block. Releasing Godfrey before June 1 would recoup $2.1MM in cap space, or $5.1MM post June 1.