The Carolina Panthers have a whole lot of players that are about to become free agents. Over the past week, they started re-signing some of them, starting with safeties Eric Reid and Damian Parms. In order to field a competitive roster in an increasingly difficult NFC South division in 2019, they’re going to have to cut a lot of dead weight. Getting younger and deeper at several key positions will be critical for the Panthers this offseason.
With that in mind, here are seven players that the team should allow to hit the open market next month when the new league year begins.
OT Chris Clark
When Matt Kalil is your first option at left tackle going into the year, things aren’t likely to go well. That’s exactly how it played out for the Panthers in 2018. Kalil missed the entire season due to another knee injury and the team was forced to scramble and sign Clark in early September. He started out OK on the blindside. It didn’t take long for him to become a liability in pass protection, though. Carolina either needs to find a new long-term starter at left tackle in the draft or bring back Daryl Williams and let either him or Taylor Moton try.
WR Devin Funchess
It’s disappointing that Funchess’ time in Charlotte will likely come to an end as he was a healthy scratch in his last game. Funchess has been frustrating at times since the Panthers picked him in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He’s also shown a lot of promise, though. While he should not be written off entirely, Funchess had a brutal 2018 season and it’s going to be hard for him to find his rhythm again splitting targets with the likes of D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. Funchess can still turn his career around. He’ll probably need to do it playing for another team, though.
S Mike Adams
Adams deserves credit for playing an exceptionally difficult position at a high level for as long as he did. As recently as 2017, he was a reliable backend defender with ball skills and coverage ability to match. Father time hit Adams hard in 2018 though and his game regressed significantly. In the end, he was ranked No. 86 at safety by Pro Football Focus for the season. The Panthers should look to draft or sign a younger starting partner for Eric Reid.
DE Wes Horton
Horton has shown flashes playing as a backup for the Panthers over the years. He posted 5.5 sacks in 2017 to go with eight QB hits. Unfortunately, that’s probably the best the team can ever expect from him. If Horton is willing to come back on a cheaper deal, that’s fine. However, Ron Rivera should be prioritizing playing time for younger defensive ends in the rotation like Efe Obada, Marquis Haynes and potentially Bryan Cox Jr.
OL Amini Silatolu
Like Horton, Silatolu has also had his moments. They have been too sporadic though and there’s no reason to start him over Trai Turner or Greg Van Roten at either guard position. He was a disaster at right tackle, so his only realistic projection is as an interior backup. Silatolu is an acceptable swing guard option, but he’s 30 years old now. The team should take a chance on a mid-round interior draft prospect instead.
RB Travaris Cadet
The Panthers should look to reshape their backfield, building around the idea of Christian McCaffrey carrying a heavy load. One guy they won’t need is Cadet, who was brought in as a backup third-down option in the middle of the season. Ideally, Fozzy Whittaker will return and resume that role in 2019, assuming he’s recovered from his ACL injury last spring.
RB Cameron Artis-Payne
Another running back they can afford to let go is Cameron Artis-Payne. He’s obviously a favorite of Rivera’s, but he’s yet to fulfill the potential we’ve been hearing about four years. Like Funchess, the Panthers should let Artis-Payne see if he can break out with another team and then replace him with in the draft with another running back featuring a Mike Tolbert or C.J. Anderson kind of build.
