The Panthers made a little room before the trade deadline, and that may be the clearest sign yet that they’re keeping their options open.
Carolina restructured offensive tackle Taylor Moton’s contract, creating $3.5 million in cap space, according to Spotrac. The move came with the NFL trade deadline set for 4:00pm Eastern time today, and it gives the Panthers some flexibility as they sort through what they want to do next.
It’s the standard kind of cap maneuver: the team turned part of Moton’s base salary into a signing bonus, which lowers the hit against this season’s cap by spreading the money over the life of the deal. Carolina had been right up against the cap before the adjustment, so this at least opens the door for a move if the right one presents itself.
That said, $3.5 million doesn’t exactly set up a splashy deadline deal. If the Panthers use the space on a trade, it would likely be for a cheaper veteran rather than a headline-grabber.
The secondary is one obvious area to watch with Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, and Will Lee all working back from injuries. The offensive line is another, where injuries have created issues and uneven play has made them worse.
The more likely use for the extra room may be on the waiver wire or in free agency. Carolina recently brought in cornerback Jack Jones for a visit, though no contract has been offered yet. Moves like that are exactly the kind of thing this restructure can help support, so that appears to be the most realistic path for the Panthers’ newly created cap space.
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