On Monday, as first reported by NFL Network insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, the league has informed its teams that there will be an increase in salary cap space—and a substantial one at that.
Each club will be allocated a record $224.8 million of space for 2023. By contrast, teams were given $208.2 million 2022, $182.5 million in 2021, $198.2 million in 2020 and $188.2 million in 2019.
So, what does this mean for the Carolina Panthers?
Per Spotrac, who has accounted for the massive hike, the Panthers are now roughly $9.5 million in the red for the upcoming offseason—the 12th-lowest amount in the league. And while they’ll get some help from their $10.7 million of unused 2022 cap space—the second-highest such mark—that’s still not exactly a pretty number to be sitting on.
Luckily for Carolina, they have a handful of key pieces in place. The likes of receiver DJ Moore, right guard Austin Corbett, cornerback Donte Jackson and right tackle Taylor Moton are all locked up for multiple years.
Plus, they’re still in the early stages for the rookie contracts of left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and cornerback Jaycee Horn. Oh, and it also helps that they’ll be losing the fewest snaps to free agency.
But with two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Brian Burns angling for a hefty extension and the ever-present quarterback problem needing to be solved, general manager Scott Fitterer and vice president of football administration Samir Suleiman will have some maneuvering to do.
