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Carolina Panthers News & Rumors

NFL Restructures: Smith, Mahomes, Fitzpatrick, Peat, Thomas, Hines, Waller

March 18th, 2023 at 2:10pm CST by Ely Allen

We had news recently that Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith had agreed to restructure his contract with the team, reducing his massive $17.6MM cap hit. Thanks to Todd Archer of ESPN, we now have some details on the deal. Smith was headed into the last year of an eight-year agreement, so his restructure essentially functions as a one-year contract.

The newly restructured contract will be a one-year, $6MM deal with a potential maximum value of $17MM. He received a $3MM signing bonus for the changes and has his $3MM base salary guaranteed. The deal rapidly escalates from there with several playing time incentives. Smith will receive an additional $1MM bonus for each of these snap share thresholds: 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, and 90%. This means that if he plays over 90% of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps, he will receive $9MM, one for each of the nine levels.

He can also receive playoff incentives, 75% of which are paid off of wins alone. The remaining 25% is paid if he plays over half of the team’s offensive snaps in those wins. He would receive $500,000 for each playoff win in which he plays the majority of the snaps. With four possible playoff wins, that’s a total of $2MM in playoff bonuses. Those plus the $9MM from the playing time incentives and the $6MM guaranteed at signing push the contract to it’s maximum value of $17MM.

Here is some other news on restructures from around the league:

  • The Chiefs created some financial breathing room by restructuring star quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘s massive contract, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The team converted $12MM of his 2023 roster bonus into a signing bonus, creating $9.6MM in cap space for the season.
  • Yates also reports that the Steelers found some cap space by restructuring the contract of a star. Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick agreed to a restructured deal that would reward the Steelers with $10.07MM of additional cap space in 2023 by converting $13.42MM of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus.
  • The Saints were able to gain some cap room by restructuring the deal of guard Andrus Peat, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The team converted $4MM of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus, reducing his salary from $11.83MM to $7.83MM. He then took an additional pay cut to reduce his 2023 base salary to $1.5MM as the team voided out his 2024 salary, adding three more voidable years to the deal. The moves resulted in an additional $9.53MM in cap space for New Orleans.
  • Another NFC South player reportedly took a pay cut as Panthers tight end Ian Thomas agreed to a restructured deal, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. In his new deal, Thomas will earn $3MM in 2023 and $3.65MM in 2024. The deal creates an additional $2.88MM in cap space.
  • Another report from Yates tells us that the Bills have agreed to a renegotiated contract with running back Nyheim Hines. While the details are not yet available, it entails a $1MM signing bonus and the opportunity to earn $4.79MM in bonuses, clearing out some cap space for Buffalo while providing some incentives for Hines next season.
  • Lastly, following the tight end’s trade to the Giants, Darren Waller has agreed to a renegotiated deal with his new team, according to Yates. New York has converted $9.84MM of his 2023 base salary into a signing bonus. The move creates $7.87MM in additional cap space for the Giants.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/17/23

March 17th, 2023 at 10:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves from around the league:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

 

Board is a strong special teamer, signing a two-year, $5MM deal with New England, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The contract reportedly includes incentives that can push the deal to a maximum value of $6.7MM.

Colon-Castillo reportedly visited the Falcons today, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Despite the visit, he decided to sign with the Jets.

Panthers To Host WR DJ Chark

March 16th, 2023 at 4:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

After the deals which have taken place so far amongst free agent wideouts, DJ Chark may very well be the top option still available at the position. He will visit the Panthers tomorrow, as first reported by Jordan Schultz of The Score (Twitter link).

Chark went through free agency for the first time in his career last offseason, after his rookie contract with the Jaguars expired. He inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Lions as a contract aimed at giving Detroit a boost in the passing game and allowing the 26-year-old to prove his abilities when healthy. He was limited to just 11 games this season, but his production was still noteworthy.

The former second-rounder recorded 502 yards and three touchdowns on 30 receptions in his debut Lions campaign. That yielded a yards-per-catch average of 16.7, the second-highest total of his career. Having reaffirmed his status as one of the league’s top deep threats, Chark figures to have a notable market for his services this offseason. The Lions are interested in a deal which would keep him in the Motor City, but outside offers are likely as well.

The Panthers have a need at the position after they included D.J. Moore in the trade package sent to the Bears for the top pick in this year’s draft. Replacing Moore’s contributions will likely involve multiple additions out wide after the former first-rounder comfortably outpaced the rest of the team’s contributions in the passing game. As a team, Carolina ranked 29th in the league with an average of 176 passing yards per game in 2022.

The new quarterback the Panthers will draft next month will go a long way in determining the team’s ability to improve in that regard in 2023. To little surprise, though, they have already hosted fellow veteran free agent Adam Thielen as part of their search for additions in their receiver room. Chark will be the next member of that process, as he searches for his best fit on what will be his third NFL contract.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/15/23

March 15th, 2023 at 9:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Panthers To Sign DT DeShawn Williams

March 15th, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Panthers continue to rebuild their defensive line, the team has added another big body to the group. The team announced that they’ve agreed to terms with defensive tackle DeShawn Williams.

The former UDFA bounced around the NFL for a few years before finding a home in Denver in 2020. Over the past three years, the defensive lineman started 34 of his 40 games for the Broncos, collecting 7.5 total sacks.

That includes a 2021 season where the veteran got into 17 games (15 starts), finishing with 37 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and eight QB hits. Pro Football Focus ranked Williams 85th among 127 qualifying interior defenders, although they did give him props for his coverage ability.

The South Carolina native will provide the Panthers with another big body up front. The organization previously agreed to terms with Saints defensive tackle Shy Tuttle, and the two acquisitions will pair with Derrick Brown in new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s 3-4 system. Evero, of course, spent the 2022 season coaching Williams in Denver, as did new senior assistant Dom Capers.

Panthers Plan To Sign RB Miles Sanders

March 15th, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers will have a new-look offense in 2023, and that includes a new running back. The Panthers are planning to sign running back Miles Sanders, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of NFL Network tweets that a deal has been agreed to, while Adam Caplan of Inside the Birds adds that it is a four-year contract (Twitter link). ESPN’s David Newton tweets that the deal is worth $25MM, while Garafolo tweets that the deal contains $13MM in guaranteed money.

The 25-year-old was arguably the top option in this year’s free agent class, one which included a bevy of noteworthy options at the position even after three of them received the franchise tag. Especially now that David Montgomery has a deal in place with the Lions, Sanders represented the biggest RB domino yet to fall as of Wednesday. Knowing that Sanders would price himself out of their range, the Eagles turned to Rashaad Penny yesterday on a low-cost, one-year deal.

Sanders, a 2019 second-round pick, handled a lighter workload than many expected during the first three years of his career. His 5.1 yards per carry average over that span suggested he could produce considerable numbers if utilized as a true No. 1 in the backfield. Sanders found himself in exactly that situation in 2022, and he lived up to expectations.

Pacing the Eagles’ elite running game, the Penn State alum enjoyed a career year during the team’s run to the Super Bowl. He ran for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding another 148 yards and a pair of score in the postseason. While Sanders’ pass-catching duties were reduced compared to earlier in his career, he earned himself a relatively sizeable market with his all-around skillset.

By joining the Panthers, Sanders will be reunited with Duce Staley, who holds the title of assistant head coach in Carolina as part of the team’s new coaching staff. He will also coach the team’s running backs, as he did in Philadelphia during Sanders’ rookie season. Head coach Frank Reich has notable ties dating back to his Eagles tenure, so there will be at least a degree of familiarity on that front.

With Sanders in place, Carolina will not be retaining D’Onta Foreman, who took on the lead role after the Panthers traded away Christian McCaffrey. The former’s success to close out the season was expected to earn him considerable interest on the open market, but the Panthers are investing heavily in Sanders instead. He will move atop the team’s RB depth chart as he starts a new chapter of his career, while the Panthers add a significant element to what should once again be a strong ground game.

Raiders, Texans Discussed No. 1 Pick With Bears

March 15th, 2023 at 4:13pm CST by Ben Levine

Unsurprisingly, the Bears spoke with multiple teams about the No. 1 pick before trading the selection to the Panthers. Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that the Raiders called the Bears about the first-overall pick, while Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports (via Twitter) that the Texans also held discussions with the Bears.

The Texans are armed with a pair of first-round picks (No. 2 and No. 12), meaning the organization had more than enough ammo to pull off a trade. Presumably, the front office didn’t want to overpay to move up just one spot, and the Texans will now have to hope that the Panthers don’t land on their preferred quarterback. We previously heard that the Texans were very high on Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, and Houston may end up getting their way if Carolina opts for Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.

Howe clarifies that the Raiders never got into serious negotiations with the Bears about the first-overall pick. However, the Raiders’ interest reinforces how the organization “explored every avenue” at the QB position (as Howe points out). Earlier today, Howe tweeted that the Raiders organization even reached out to the Packers about quarterback Aaron Rodgers as they evaluated their post-Derek Carr options. Ultimately, the Raiders landed on Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Panthers ultimately pulled off the trade for the first-overall pick, sending Chicago a pair of first-round picks, a pair of second-round picks, and wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Panthers Expected To Sign TE Hayden Hurst

March 15th, 2023 at 8:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Post-D.J. Moore, the Panthers are in need of multiple pass catchers. They are planning to visit with Adam Thielen later on Wednesday, but they are also addressing their tight end spot. Hayden Hurst is expected to sign with Carolina, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

A former first-round pick, Hurst spent last season with the Bengals. He joined Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki as the top available tight ends on this year’s market. Hurst is signing a three-year deal with the Panthers, Insidethebirds.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. The contract will check in at $21.75MM with $13MM guaranteed at signing, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Not bad for the South Carolina product, who signed for just $2MM guaranteed last year.

The ex-minor league baseball player will join his second NFC South team and fourth overall. Toggling between the AFC North and NFC South, Hurst spent two seasons in Baltimore and two in Atlanta prior to his Cincinnati one-off. Going into his age-30 season, Hurst will join a Panthers team that has not gotten much from its tight end spot since Greg Olsen‘s foot injuries began to pile up.

Stepping in for free agency defection C.J. Uzomah, Hurst caught 52 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns last season. He added 13 more grabs and another score in the playoffs, but the Bengals will continue to make changes at tight end after allowing another starter to leave in free agency.

Ian Thomas led Panthers tight ends in receiving yards in each of the past three seasons, but the offense did not feature much of a threat at this position. None of Thomas’ past three yardage totals eclipsed 200. Olsen, who racked up 597 yards in 2019, is the most recent Panther tight end to clear 200 in a season. The team signed Dan Arnold in 2021 but included him in a trade for C.J. Henderson in 2021. Hurst’s career-high mark came in 2020 — 571 — before the Falcons drafted Kyle Pitts fourth overall.

Hurst’s baseball past makes him a bit older than his NFL draft class; he is heading into his age-30 season. But the Panthers will make the former Pitts mentor and Ravens first-rounder a key part of their first Frank Reich-directed passing game. They still have work to do at receiver, and it is not known which quarterback will be Charlotte-bound via the No. 1 overall pick. But said rookie (and Andy Dalton, most likely) will be targeting Hurst in 2023.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/23

March 14th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Panthers To Host WR Adam Thielen

March 14th, 2023 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers’ wide receiver situation has gone through major changes over the past few months. Most recently, the team sent D.J. Moore to the Bears in a package for the No. 1 overall pick. This leaves Carolina with a significant need at receiver.

Carolina is planning to host Adam Thielen on a free agency visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Recently released by the Vikings, Thielen is slated to trek to Charlotte on Wednesday.

A Minnesota native who also played his college ball in the state, Thielen has only played for the Vikings over the course of his 10-year career. But the Panthers have multiple openings at the position to start Frank Reich’s tenure. The team needed to give up one of the best receivers in franchise history to complete the eight-spot draft climb. With Moore in Chicago, the Panthers will need to supply Andy Dalton and their to-be-determined rookie quarterback with more aerial support.

Although Thielen is 32, he still displayed the capabilities of being a complementary target last season. Opposite Justin Jefferson, the red zone threat caught 70 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers are in line with Thielen’s 2021 work, which included 10 touchdowns. During the 2020s, Thielen has totaled an eye-opening 30 receiving scores. That total ranks fifth this decade, with Thielen behind only perennial Pro Bowlers Davante Adams, Mike Evans, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.

The Panthers still have Terrace Marshall (490 receiving yards last season) on their roster, and Matt Rhule-era trade acquisition Laviska Shenault is going into a contract year. Both former second-rounders could be part of Reich’s attack, but the Panthers will likely be on the hunt for help in the draft in addition to their interest in free agent targets. Jakobi Meyers and Allen Lazard are off the board, but several wideouts — including Thielen, Mecole Hardman, Darius Slayton and DJ Chark — remain available for the retooling team.

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