Newton Positive? Reed's latest article not too convincing to me for some reason

[UpstatePanther]

this thread is depressing. the very thought of Cam leaving for another team is not something i want to consider right now. He ours. we are .500 with what appears to be the easier part of our schedule ahead of us. Cam is going to be a great QB and GMs that are half as smart as Gettleman lock up quarterbacks like Cam Newton. If Cam one day leaves the Panthers by any other means than retirement, then i'll cross that bridge when we come to it. but until then, he's my damn QB and im going to enjoy every fuggin minute that superstar is on the field in a Panthers uniform. haha.

[panthers55]

this thread is depressing. the very thought of Cam leaving for another team is not something i want to consider right now. He ours. we are .500 with what appears to be the easier part of our schedule ahead of us. Cam is going to be a great QB and GMs that are half as smart as Gettleman lock up quarterbacks like Cam Newton. If Cam one day leaves the Panthers by any other means than retirement, then i'll cross that bridge when we come to it. but until then, he's my damn QB and im going to enjoy every fuggin minute that superstar is on the field in a Panthers uniform. haha.

He is locked up through 2015 so no big deal.  He gets something like 15 million guaranteed next year so no one is in a hurry really.  We will lock him up because we can likely save money year 1 and 2 from that figure by signing him long term which we will do.  There is no chance he goes elsewhere so you can start breathing again.  It just doesn't happen in this league because there are not enough franchise quarterbacks as it is let alone letting one go who is a franchise guy.

[TheMaulClaw]

Cam will get more than Dalton and will deserve it.  Just remember that much of the guaranteed money can be a good size signing bonus and then guaranteeing his first 2 years salary.  Given his toughness that is not a huge issue.  By the time he hits his early 30s it is not hard to restructure to make it work.  Lets be real here we have 20 million of dead cap space this year which all fit under the budget.  With the salary cap going up and some big contract going away we can sign Luke, Cam and Star without too much of a problem given that they don't all hit the same year. 

 

How are we going to address our DE, CB, and OT positions combined with resigning Luke, and dealing with CJ?  That's pretty much all I'm worried about.    We'll also need to find another complimentary receiver and some decent safeties.  We might draft another wr, but it's more likely that we take a chance on one later in the draft which is hardly comforting.   Like any team I don't really expect us to be able to fill all the holes on our roster, but most would be nice.

[panthers55]

How are we going to address our DE, CB, and OT positions combined with resigning Luke, and dealing with CJ?  That's pretty much all I'm worried about.    We'll also need to find another complimentary receiver and some decent safeties.  We might draft another wr, but it's more likely that we take a chance on one later in the draft which is hardly comforting.   Like any team I don't really expect us to be able to fill all the holes on our roster, but most would be nice.

If we don't sign Hardy long term there is 13 million we free up.  Combine that with the 18 million in dead cap space this year which goes down to 4 million next year or possibly 7 million if there is any left over on Godfrey for a June 1st cut and you have at least 24 million.  Then look at CJ's cap number of 19 million next year and his production so far and we know he will either restructure or be gone. and you have potentially 40 million to play with.  Now remember than when you sign someone long term they get almost no money in salary year 1 because they get a big signing bonus so their cap hit in year 1 is usually small since the signing bonus gets prorated.  Usually year 2 is relatively manageable as well.  So it isn't until year 3 that contracts for guys like Cam or Kuechly get big.  Then you have the option to restructure and turn some of the salary into another signing bonus so again it is manageable.

 

So honestly with the cap going up the next several years it won't be that tough.  What is killing us now is all the guaranteed contract and restructures we made to keep things afloat the past 2 years which have created dead cap space that is enormous for guys like Beason that were hurt and are gone.  Then you have guys like Stewart that you can't cut and they don't stay healthy.

[panthers34]

For some reason I can see Cam pulling a Lebron. Leaving then coming back 

[TheMaulClaw]

If we don't sign Hardy long term there is 13 million we free up.  Combine that with the 18 million in dead cap space this year which goes down to 4 million next year or possibly 7 million if there is any left over on Godfrey for a June 1st cut and you have at least 24 million.  Then look at CJ's cap number of 19 million next year and his production so far and we know he will either restructure or be gone. and you have potentially 40 million to play with.  Now remember than when you sign someone long term they get almost no money in salary year 1 because they get a big signing bonus so their cap hit in year 1 is usually small since the signing bonus gets prorated.  Usually year 2 is relatively manageable as well.  So it isn't until year 3 that contracts for guys like Cam or Kuechly get big.  Then you have the option to restructure and turn some of the salary into another signing bonus so again it is manageable.

 

So honestly with the cap going up the next several years it won't be that tough.  What is killing us now is all the guaranteed contract and restructures we made to keep things afloat the past 2 years which have created dead cap space that is enormous for guys like Beason that were hurt and are gone.  Then you have guys like Stewart that you can't cut and they don't stay healthy.

 

So what's the dead money owed to CJ if we do indeed cut him?  Obviously I think we'd all like to keep him, but isn't restructuring sort of just robbing Peter to pay Paul?  Eventually we might just be creating more dead money for ourselves if we restructure him right?

 

Also is there a concern of escalating prices on FA's because the cap is going up?  Could it all just be relative to what the market dictates base upon league inflation?  So pretty much we might be able to sign a guy this year at  2 mill per year, but signing the same player next year might cost us 3 mill because of cap inflation right?

 

It looks like that what's defined as having cap space today may be redefined in future years.

 

Really appreciate your informative responses.

 

[CRA]

CJ would be 14M in dead money next year if cut.

[Car123]

He is actually.

Who cares anymore?

He's having a solid season.

[TheMaulClaw]

CJ would be 14M in dead money next year if cut.

 

How could we restructure him while simultaneously lowering his dead money hit the following season?

[Udogg]

How are we going to address our DE, CB, and OT positions combined with resigning Luke, and dealing with CJ?  That's pretty much all I'm worried about.    We'll also need to find another complimentary receiver and some decent safeties.  We might draft another wr, but it's more likely that we take a chance on one later in the draft which is hardly comforting.   Like any team I don't really expect us to be able to fill all the holes on our roster, but most would be nice.

 

You are not going to have moderate to high paid players all over the field. We are going to have to 1.  Pick and choose what positions we are going to spend on. (probably Luke, DL, and Cam).  2. Pick up skills positions through the draft (WR, CB, RB) and 3.  Low priced veterans and developed draft picks  (OL, Secondary).  

[TheMaulClaw]

You are not going to have moderate to high paid players all over the field. We are going to have to 1.  Pick and choose what positions we are going to spend on. (probably Luke, DL, and Cam).  2. Pick up skills positions through the draft (WR, CB, RB) and 3.  Low priced veterans and developed draft picks  (OL, Secondary).  

 

So pretty much remain the exact same team we are now?  We need an upgrade at T.

[Anybodyhome]

Has Dalton earned it?

 

Yes.

 

3 years in the league, 3 years of improvement in every QB statistical category, 3 years of winning records and 3 years in the playoffs.

Which, at the risk of being labeled as blasphemous, are 2 of 3 better years than Cam.

 

And I'm likely in the minority also when I say I'm far from believing it's a foregone conclusion he'll stay in Charlotte. His agent is a complete idiot if he doesn't tell Cam to wait on his contract and at least listen to offers as a FA.

[CRA]

How could we restructure him while simultaneously lowering his dead money hit the following season?

Well if you restructure him the dead money hit in 2015 wouldn't be a concern....bc a restructuring means he is playing here.

[CRA]

Yes.

3 years in the league, 3 years of improvement in every QB statistical category, 3 years of winning records and 3 years in the playoffs.

Which, at the risk of being labeled as blasphemous, are 2 of 3 better years than Cam.

Dalton isn't the reason for the team success. Lots of JAGs can play his role.