Salary Caps and Recaps

The Carolina Panthers have a great deal of negotiating to do before next season, and we’re not just talking about the team’s coaching staff. With Julius Peppers and Jordan Gross’ contracts up, these next few days are sure to be some very pivotal ones for the Panthers, and the team’s roster could all come down to a price tag. When it comes down to making the pieces of the salary puzzle fit, a few Carolina players could possibly see a cut.

In terms of the Panthers’ highest-paid players, cornerback Ken Lucas is the top dog. Lucas’ $9.1 million cap hit is almost twice what any other Panther gets paid, and his less-than-mesmerizing performances in the 2008 season could mean that Lucas will be on his way out when his contract expires next year. Receiver Steve Smith is the second highest-paid Panther on the roster grossing $5.4 million, with quarterback Jake Delhomme trailing with $5.325 million. Both Smith and Delhomme are worth the money and are expected to return for the next few seasons without problems. Players with only one year left of their contracts include DE Tyler Brayton ($1.8 million), QB Josh McCown ($1.75 million), T Jeremy Bridges ($1.25 million) and WR DJ Hackett ($1.045 million).

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