Pat Yasinskas' ESPN blog

[Cardiac Cats86]

This is Pat Yasinskas' NFC South blog entry from today:

<i>"If all goes according to plan, the Carolina Panthers will re-sign offensive tackle Jordan Gross and place the franchise tag on Julius Peppers sometime in the next 24 hours. Then, things could get really interesting.

Making Gross one of the league's top paid tackles likely will cost about $9 million a year and tagging Peppers will cost an immediate $17 million against the salary cap. Assuming Gross' deal gets finalized, the Panthers are going to have to make a series of moves to get under the salary cap.

They are about $10 million under the cap right now, but signing Gross and tagging Peppers would put them more than $20 million over the cap. That's going to lead to some cap-cutting moves and it could get painful.

The most obvious target is cornerback Ken Lucas, who didn't play well the second half of last season and could be getting closer to the end of his career. Cutting Lucas would free up $3.3 million in cap room. Some other potential targets could include offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges, receiver D.J. Hackett, linebacker Landon Johnson and running back Nick Goings.

The Panthers also are likely to restructure the contracts of several veterans to get under the cap."</i>

Now Yasinskas' downs Carolina alot so the situation might not be as dire as he lets on. But is Gross worth the money? Maybe not so much but with the predicament that Carolina's in he's gonna get paid alot. I heard some reports that he would be the 2nd highest paid lineman behind Jake Long. I can see most these people being cut but c'mon, Nick Goings? While he has'nt had big numbers I'd like to see 'em stay.

[Mr. Scot]

Honestly, I think Gantt pretty much beat him to all of that except I don't think he mentioned Nick Goings.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

Goings has run his course here.

I would actually like to see Hackett stay, but I can understand letting him go. Bridges provides excellent depth, so I'd hate to see him go as well.

Hell, I'm not even entirely sure I want to see Lucas gone. I think he'll be gone, but it's a shame we probably won't get to see what he can do under Meeks' tutelage.

And yes, Johnson needs to go.

[mantal]

Is Gross worth the money? Yeah...

We'll do what we need to do, but keeping our offensive line in-tact was paramount. Peppers number goes away when he's traded. I could see the Panthers just paying the fine for being over the cap until then. Washington does, so why can't we?...

[panthers55]

This is Pat Yasinskas' NFC South blog entry from today:

<i>"If all goes according to plan, the Carolina Panthers will re-sign offensive tackle Jordan Gross and place the franchise tag on Julius Peppers sometime in the next 24 hours. Then, things could get really interesting.

Making Gross one of the league's top paid tackles likely will cost about $9 million a year and tagging Peppers will cost an immediate $17 million against the salary cap. Assuming Gross' deal gets finalized, the Panthers are going to have to make a series of moves to get under the salary cap.

They are about $10 million under the cap right now, but signing Gross and tagging Peppers would put them more than $20 million over the cap. That's going to lead to some cap-cutting moves and it could get painful.

The most obvious target is cornerback Ken Lucas, who didn't play well the second half of last season and could be getting closer to the end of his career. Cutting Lucas would free up $3.3 million in cap room. Some other potential targets could include offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges, receiver D.J. Hackett, linebacker Landon Johnson and running back Nick Goings.

The Panthers also are likely to restructure the contracts of several veterans to get under the cap."</i>

Now Yasinskas' downs Carolina alot so the situation might not be as dire as he lets on. But is Gross worth the money? Maybe not so much but with the predicament that Carolina's in he's gonna get paid alot. I heard some reports that he would be the 2nd highest paid lineman behind Jake Long. I can see most these people being cut but c'mon, Nick Goings? While he has'nt had big numbers I'd like to see 'em stay.

He forgot to mention that almost 10 million in cap space can be created by simply guaranteeing all of Gamble's roster bonus. If we let Lucas go we have another 3 million. Extending Jake a year or two could free up another 4 million. So in only 3 moves we could free almost enough to do it all. Plus Gross may average 9 million per year but his cap hit could be as little as 5 or 6 million this year and still would work within the 30% rule.

So yeah like usual, Yaz is overblowing the situation in a negative fashion. Cap won't be an issue and we will have quite a bit once we move Peppers.

[Kurb]

Me and Yas need to have a ......sitdown....

[Fox007]

It wouldn't surprise me if we resigned some people that we had to cut to get under the cap.

After we trade Peppers, we obviously get that money back, and it won't take 17 million to sign our rookies.

[Panthro]

Is Gross worth the money? Yeah...

We'll do what we need to do, but keeping our offensive line in-tact was paramount. Peppers number goes away when he's traded. I could see the Panthers just paying the fine for being over the cap until then. Washington does, so why can't we?.. .

Thats it? Just a fine...not bad. I have to imagine teams are talking trade already...

[mantal]

Thats it? Just a fine...not bad. I have to imagine teams are talking trade already...

Far as I've heard, that's the penalty. I know Washington has been over the cap at many times for years and they don't seem to have a problem with it...

Although I do know that the NFL has the option of voiding some contracts that were made after the raise above the cap, which I would doubt they would do this early in the game, (they haven't done that to the Skins)...

[Cardiac Cats86]

Goings has run his course here.

....Bridges provides excellent depth, so I'd hate to see him go as well....

And yes, Johnson needs to go.

I think so too, is'nt Geoff Hangartner's contract up as well? He could be a starter with some teams, hopefully they'll keep him though, Im not sure bout his contract though.

[Fox007]

I think so too, is'nt Geoff Hangartner's contract up as well? He could be a starter with some teams, hopefully they'll keep him though, Im not sure bout his contract though.

Hopefully Geoff wants to play for the Panthers too.

[carpanfan96]

I think he forgot our Gamble bonus which already freed up 8 million in cap so were really sitting at 17 million. Though we still have to make cuts. I'm Assuming that Lucas, Hackett and Johnson will among those cut.

[panthers55]

Far as I've heard, that's the penalty. I know Washington has been over the cap at many times for years and they don't seem to have a problem with it...

Although I do know that the NFL has the option of voiding some contracts that were made after the raise above the cap, which I would doubt they would do this early in the game, (they haven't done that to the Skins)...

They might not void the contract of Gross for example since it was consumated before we tagged Peppers and we were under the cap. However not only is there a fine but the league would not approve any free agent pickups or further contracts unless they were consummated in order to help get under the cap eg. Extending Jake or Lucas for example or occurred after we were under the cap. I think after a move that puts us over the cap we have so many hours to get back under the cap. Otherwise the league has the power to just nix any future deals unless it fits under the cap.

The most leverage we will have is to get under the cap with Pepper's salary and then tell other teams to pony up or we keep him. As long as they think we have to trade him, they will low ball us.

[joemac]

I think that Gross is definitely worth the money. He played great last year, and deserves to be paid like one of the top LT's in the game.