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Carolina Panthers OLB Jadeveon Clowney ($8M) OLB D.J. Wonnum ($6.7M) RB Miles Sanders ($5.3M) DL A’Shawn Robinson ($4.5M) OT Yosh Nijman ($3.7M) WR Adam Thielen ($3.4M) DT Shy Tuttle ($3.3M) CB Dane Jackson ($3.3M) The Panthers don’t have nearly the amount of cap space you’d expect for a team lacking as much talent as they do. They don’t even have a high-priced quarterback deal gobbling up space, with former No. 1 pick Bryce Young making about $8.5 million a year on his deal. Carolina’s been active the past two years in free agency to try and fill out the roster and the bulk of their space is dedicated to those deals. The team has had to guarantee money into the second year of a lot of contracts to lure players, and fortunately for GM Dan Morgan, his hit rate is looking better than his predecessor. Clowney and Wonnum were both signed as Carolina rebuilt its edge rusher room nearly from scratch following the trade of DE Brian Burns to the Giants. Both players have been solid when they have been on the field, which took a while for Wonnum due to complications from a torn quad that ended his 2023 season. I don’t see the Panthers wanting to take a step back here even if they’ll almost certainly add to the room, and neither Clowney nor Wonnum are making salaries out of line with the market. Thielen has continued to be productive despite pushing into his mid-30s, so his chances of coming back look a lot better than they did a few months ago. Still, he’s due $6.75 million in 2025, and his status might depend on whether the Panthers are able to add more punch to their receiving corps. Second-round WR Xavier Legette and UDFA WR Jalen Coker have had intriguing rookie seasons but if Carolina took just that trio into 2025, it’d be uninspiring. Thielen’s salary is harder to justify if he’s fourth on the depth chart. A $1.5 million roster bonus is due March 17, which will push the Panthers to make a quick decision. Sanders might have been cut this past offseason had his salary not already been guaranteed, so even with the uncertainty in the team’s backfield behind incumbent RB Chuba Hubbard, it’s hard to see Sanders being back. Nijman was signed as insurance at tackle, but wasn’t healthy enough to play when LT Ikem Ekwonu missed some time. Carolina wants to be strong up front but they’re paying Nijman a premium for a swing tackle right now. The status of Robinson and Tuttle could depend on what happens with Panthers DC Ejiro Evero. He has been in high demand the past three years for head coaching interviews and for defensive coordinator jobs but Carolina’s defense has been so bad, depleted personnel aside, that it’s impossible to just assume he’ll be back. Evero might want a better situation for himself as well. If he’s back, Robinson probably will be as well, as he’s been a bright spot. It could go either way with Tuttle, Evero or no. Jackson was benched after missing significant time with a hamstring injury. He has $1 million already guaranteed in 2025 but that might not be enough to save him from being cut.