What might a Charles Johnson extension look like?

[Navy_football]

Love all the current and former Panther players, including Smitty, Peppers, Mike Mitchell, D Williams, Evan Mathis, etc. but you have to take the emotion and nostalgia out of your decision. It's probably time for CJ to move on. 

A change of scenery could be good for him. $11 million in cap would help Gettleman tie up Norman, Star or Short. They are much more important to the future (next 4-5 years) of the franchise at this point in CJs career. 

[Daddy_Uncle]

All Ill say is I trust Gettlemen to do the right thing and best thing for the team

[LinvilleGorge]

CJ has become injury prone and looks like a shadow of his former self.  I'd rather just cut bait and eat the $4M at this point rather than push guaranteed money into future years.

Cut CJ and Allen and go after Olivier Vernon.

[KB_fan]

16 minutes ago, chris999 said:

I like CJ, and I think he would be awesome if we could resign him, but I just think we have back loaded his contract for so long that we will probably have to cut ties.

Even though he is still ptobably top 10 at his position (due to versatility and run defense), he had his first down year this year, and we have probably seen his best years.

 

Just quickly checked PFF's player grades for edge defenders.  Johnson ranked 37 out of 110 players ranked.  But he was the best of our DEs.  Allen 45th,  Addison 60, Ealy 70.  Delaire & Horton not ranked. 

Looking just at Johnson's run defense grade, he was 26th in that category.

Here's what his player grade chart looked like:

 

 

[thefuzz]

31M against the cap over the past two seasons.

 

25 games played.

9.5 Sacks.

 

15M next season.

Time to move on.

[AU-panther]

On ‎2‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 9:26 AM, Jeremy Igo said:

Charles Johnson is coming up on his last year of his contract. 

He is due to make...

Base Salary: $10,750,000

Workout Bonus: $250,000

Restructure Bonus: $4,020,000

For a total of $15,020,000

If the Panthers choose to release Johnson, they will save the $11 million but 4 million still will count against the cap. 

If they restructure him, convert his 11 million base into a signing bonus and prorate that over the term of the contract, they could free up cap space and keep the defensive captain on the squad. 

Johnson isn't 30 yet and can contribute a few more seasons. 

So an extension may look something like. 

3 years at 2 million a year base with a 12 million signing bonus. 

That would drop his cap hit in 2016 to 10 million (5 million savings). 

2017 would drop to 6 million cap hit. 

 

Is that something you would be comfortable with? 

If I understand you correctly that would be 18 million for 3  years, with 12 million of it in the form of a signing bonus.

I would be surprised if he accepted that amount.

11 million for one year or 18 million for 3?

Of course the team could try and force a pay cut but at that point CJ would have to decide if he thought another team would offer him more then what we were.  

Would another team offer him a multi year deal at more then 6 million a year?

 

[UNCrules2187]

 

9 minutes ago, AU-panther said:

If I understand you correctly that would be 18 million for 3  years, with 12 million of it in the form of a signing bonus.

I would be surprised if he accepted that amount.

11 million for one year or 18 million for 3?

Of course the team could try and force a pay cut but at that point CJ would have to decide if he thought another team would offer him more then what we were.  

Would another team offer him a multi year deal at more then 6 million a year?

 

Not sure if he'll accept it, but I have no doubts that Getts will drive a hard bargain and be happy to cut him if he doesn't accept it. I have a feeling edge rusher is going to be our first round pick anyway. I wouldn't be too worried if we rolled with a #1 pick, Ealy, Horton, and Addison as our DEs next season. Maybe sign an underrated vet FA (in the mold of Jason Jones, William Hayes, Robert Ayers) to round out the group.

Cutting Allen, CJ, and Nate Chandler, then franchising Norman still leaves us with nearly $25m in cap space to make moves. Could easily fit a mid-tier FA DE and still have enough to pursue some other guys.