CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper understands he won’t be able to buy the talent he needs to build a Super Bowl-caliber roster this year given the team’s current salary cap constraints.
The billionaire also understands, as he said after naming Frank Reich the sixth head coach in franchise history, that there are no salary cap constraints when it comes to building a staff.
So when Reich turns his attention to finding free agents and draft picks over the next few months, he has a staff that understands what it takes to be a title contender thanks to Tepper’s deep pockets.
“He never backed down from it [no salary cap] statement,” Reich said earlier this week after finishing most of the crew. “That doesn’t mean it’s an open checkbook. It just means that we are willing to do whatever it takes to find the right coach and put together the right team.
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“We were able to compete with other teams vying for similar candidates.”
Reich attracted two former NFL head coaches to his team, senior defensive consultant Dom Capers, 72, and senior assistant Jim Caldwell, 68.
Capers, the first head coach in Panthers history, helped the Green Bay Packers win the 2010 Super Bowl as defensive coordinator. Caldwell served as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions, helping the Colts (2005, assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach) and the Baltimore Ravens (2012, interim offensive coordinator and quarterback coach) to win the championship.
Panthers employees have collectively won 10 Super Bowl rings and have a combined 191 years of NFL coaching experience.
Tepper has been criticized for past decisions — hiring Matt Rule as head coach in 2020 despite his lack of NFL experience — not making interim coaching history after Rule was fired in October. Steve Wilkes takes on full-time head coaching, giving up his new team facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina, after spending more than $175 million on an $800 million project — so far he’s Completed the delivery with the new hire.
“Mr. Tepper’s involvement was not intrusive but done in the right way,” Reich said.
Capers compared the staff’s experience to what he put into the team’s original roster, which led to an expansion-record seven wins in 1995 and an NFC championship run in 1996.
“The staff set the tone,” he said.
But the Panthers have a lot to go through to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2017 season.
Let’s see what happens next:
salary cap
For a team ranked in the bottom half of the league in cap space, the starting spot is guard Shaq Thompson. He expects the 2023 cap to be around $24.5 million. Carolina could save $13.16 million or more by cutting him or restructuring his trade. Thompson, who turns 29 in April, will be a good fit at inside linebacker as Carolina turns 3 under new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and the Capers -4 base scheme. He could also be a luxury at the position.
Carolina could save another $3.61 million by cutting linebacker Damien Wilson and another $3.1 million by cutting tight end Ian Thomas. Give the Chargers Brian Burns, who would have a cap of $16 million under his fifth-year option, a contract extension that would ease this year’s cap, a possible option. Wide receiver DJ Moore, who has a salary cap of $25.04 million this season, is a strong candidate for a reorganization that could free up another $12 million or so.
Regardless, the cap will be tight. The good news is that 18 of the 22 starters are under contract.
franchise quarterback
Carolina is unlikely to start hard after former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, according to league sources. The price is too expensive. As such, the Panthers are likely looking to re-sign free agent Sam Darnold or another veteran at a high-end No. 2 quarterback price ($8 million to $12 million range) with a ninth overall pick. Draft a quarterback.
Don’t be surprised if they trade into the top three to ensure they get Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Reeves. The only remaining quarterbacks are 2022 third-round pick Matt Corral and 25-year-old journeyman Jacob Eason.
tight end
Here’s the take: Tight end Travis Kelce of the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs has 27 catches and four touchdowns in three playoff games. The entire Carolina tight end had 50 receptions and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games.
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The Panthers haven’t had a receiving threat at tight end since Greg Olsen caught 52 passes in 2019. Thomas, while an excellent blocker, has never had more than 21 receptions in the past four seasons. Tommy Tremble, who had 19 catches and three touchdowns last season, could fill Thomas’ shoes.
What Carolina needs is a threat like Kelce. Dalton Schultz of the Dallas Cowboys, Evan Engram of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Mike Gecki of the Miami Dolphins are possible free-agent options. It’s also a good year to get a tight end in the second or third round of the draft.
Inside Defensive Lineman
Chargers Burns and Frankie Luvu have a chance to thrive in the Panthers’ 3-4 formation, much like Kevin Greene and Lamar Lathon did in Capers in 1996 His subordinates did for the Carolinas. Green has a league-high 14.5 sacks and Layton is tied for second with 13.5. . That’s another reason to extend Burns’ term now. His price may increase after 2023.
The focus of free agency and the draft has to be on big men to gobble up blocks. As Capers told ESPN.com, tackle Derrick Brown could fit into any scheme. Yetur Gross-Matos could serve as a finisher for this scheme, but the Panthers need to add another big man or two to free up Burns and Luvu to rush past passers.
bozeman and foreman
Carolina needs to re-sign center Bradley Bozeman and running back Deonta Foreman. Both of those guys are a big part of what makes the Panthers playoff-competitive at the end of the season. Both would want to return, would likely earn a mid-range salary, and would take pressure off the quarterback.
