Linebacker spending, and creating cap room

Right now Keuchly's cap hit is 17 million. He has no bonus pro-rated over the next two years, so we might be able to get about 4-5 million back in this year's cap by restructuring.

Shaq Thompson's 5th year option gives him a 9 million dollar cap hit. I can't see the Panthers going into the season letting that stand, they're going to have to give him a new deal that's more in line with what he's worth. For perspective, the biggest cap hit TD ever had was 10 million, and Thompson isn't as good.

What is he worth? 5-6 mil a year average?

 

If you want to keep him, you'll have to pay him well more than what he's worth. That's just what the market is dictating right now.

 

I'm not seeing any stupid contracts for OLBs out there right now.

 

Yeah he's technically an outside linebacker, but if a 3-4 team wants to recruit him to play ILB, he'll get paid. I probably would have kept TD another year and traded Shaq.

 

It doesn't really matter what I want. I hope Eric Reid has an All-Pro season and the Panthers win 12 games.