Panthers want Gross to take a pay cut

[CRA]

If teams like Pittsburgh can part ways with a guy like James Harrison, Pats with Seymour, Atl with Turner, etc. I see no reasons why we should cry over guys like Gamble and Gross.

As much as I love 34 and I would HATE to see him go, I'd be fine if he was cut. We have too much needs with no money to better us. We need to rid some bad contracts.

Gross is different than Gamble....he protects THE franchise player. OL is about the only spot you can justify overspending a little.

You could draft the best LT prospect and cut Gross....but that means you downgraded your LT play for 2013. Not worth it

[Firefox]

It'll get done, sooner or later. But I don't see why we need to be $10-$12 mill under to sign FAs and picks...

Do you realize how many players went to IR last year?

This long season, as every year, you have to fit all the players signed to replace IR'd players, draft picks, the practice squad, etc. all under the same cap that we're now trying to get just 51 players under.

Who knows what size cushion we need? It could be a real big number.

[Growl]

we could do some serious poo with that kind of cap space. gettleman and gross both know it.

panthers have the leverage.

Now imagine the breathing room we'd have with deangelo cut as well.

These kinds of moves don't just help us now, but long term as well.

Frankly, the dream for me I think would be cutting Gross and Williams, drafting Lane Johnson and adding a couple good talents at positions of need in FA.

[jtm]

These guys restructure 90% of the time bc it is a PR nightmare if they don't. Media and fans would pick them apart all season and players know this. I'm a little surprised this one has taken so long - I think Gross knows this is his last contract likely ever in NFL and is probably trying to maximize it.

[La Pantera]

Do you realize how many players went to IR last year?

This long season, as every year, you have to fit all the players signed to replace IR'd players, draft picks, the practice squad, etc. all under the same cap that we're now trying to get just 51 players under.

Who knows what size cushion we need? It could be a real big number.

I don't know how we COULD get that far under. Getting around 8 under will be a challenge. We should still be able to make a small FA splash with $8 mill under.

[wrigs]

When your left tackle is making 4 times as much as your QB then something is a little off.

[MHS831]

Gross is making something like $11.7 million this season. $6.7 is unguaranteed. $5 million is "dead", and I am not sure what that means in this situaion-but since the signing bonus is part of it, i assume it refers to the cap--regardless of whether we cut him or not.

Next year, the final year of Gross' contract, his cap figure is $9.7 million, $3 million more than his unguaranteed salary. Since he will get no signing bonus allotment in 2014, I have no idea what the $3 million is for.

Unless someone can correct me with an explanation, I figure that Gross would get from $5 million to $8 million if we cut him. So, if he signs somewhere else (2 year deal, $12 million is reasonable), he would still earn between $17 and $20 million. He would make about $21 million here.

I do not think Gettlemen increases Gross' contract, but I think he could guarantee him about $12 million over 2 seasons (signing bonus), and give him a $2 million per salary. That is about $16 million for 2 seasons, close to what he would make in Free agency. That would reduce the cap hit from $11.7 in 2013 to $8 million in 2013, doubling the amount they are under right now. For 2014, the cap hit was slated to be $9.7, so we would be 1.7 under that figure next year, with the option of cutting Gross to save another $2 million.

The Panthers do not have as much leverege as one might think, based on the guaranteed money Gross gets when he is cut.

[CRA]

These guys restructure 90% of the time bc it is a PR nightmare if they don't. Media and fans would pick them apart all season and players know this. I'm a little surprised this one has taken so long - I think Gross knows this is his last contract likely ever in NFL and is probably trying to maximize it.

These guys restructure 90% of the time bc the team normally gives them more guaranteed cash in "restructures".

Real "paycuts"...are different. Players don't like those.

[CRA]

I don't know how we COULD get that far under. Getting around 8 under will be a challenge. We should still be able to make a small FA splash with $8 mill under.

Were are about 4 under.

Cutting Williams as a June 1 takes us to 8.

A couple restructures easily gets us to the 10-12 area.

[chknwing]

Gross is making something like $11.7 million this season. $6.7 is unguaranteed. $5 million is "dead", and I am not sure what that means in this situaion-but since the signing bonus is part of it, i assume it refers to the cap--regardless of whether we cut him or not.

Next year, the final year of Gross' contract, his cap figure is $9.7 million, $3 million more than his unguaranteed salary. Since he will get no signing bonus allotment in 2014, I have no idea what the $3 million is for.

Unless someone can correct me with an explanation, I figure that Gross would get from $5 million to $8 million if we cut him. So, if he signs somewhere else (2 year deal, $12 million is reasonable), he would still earn between $17 and $20 million. He would make about $21 million here.

This is better known as the "Jake Delhomme"

[Gabeking]

Now imagine the breathing room we'd have with deangelo cut as well.

These kinds of moves don't just help us now, but long term as well.

Frankly, the dream for me I think would be cutting Gross and Williams, drafting Lane Johnson and adding a couple good talents at positions of need in FA.

Straight up cutting deangelo this year won't give us that much help with the cap actually. I'm not a cap wizard or anything i think i just heard before that all cutting him this year will do would give us a bunch of dead money.

[CRA]

Straight up cutting deangelo this year won't give us that much help with the cap actually. I'm not a cap wizard or anything i think i just heard before that all cutting him this year will do would give us a bunch of dead money.

Almost 4 million in cap space created in 2013 as a June 1....room in a cap strapped 2014 as well.

Dead money comes with making the space

[Gabeking]

Almost 4 million in cap space created in 2013....room in a cap strapped 2014 as well.

Dead money comes with making the space

Like I said, Im not a genius when it comes to the cap, I just remember reading somewhere that it wont help as much as people think. Thanks for clearing that up.

[panthers55]

Exactly. Think about how important he is to this team. How he masks our deficiencies in the secondary, along with Hardy. What scares me is what Hardy is gonna ask for next year...It's gonna be very interesting.

Whatever we give Hardy, as long as the guaranteed part is not extreme we should be okay. Usually since they get a big signing bonus up front their salary in year 1 is very small. Since the guaranteed money is spread out over several years the cap hit year 1 and even 2 from that contract can be fine which brings up to 2016 before it gets large. By then you can have other options available or eventually the TV will kick in. Either way it should be terrible unless we give too much in guaranteed money. The glut of guys available in free agency this year and next should depress contracts somewhat which should give us some leverage.