I will be doing a series of articles that will be taking a methodical team by team approach to next year’s possible free agents. I will be starting with the team that has the least amount of salary cap space and ending with the team with the most. I will try to give a brief description of as many of the possible free agents as I can. I will also be looking for players that might be salary cap cuts in order for their teams to make room to sign some of these possible free agents. Any information anyone else can contribute on these players would be very much appreciated.
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The San Francisco 49ers will have a whole ton of money for 2017 NFL free agency. Head there to check out our breakdowns of all 31 other teams’ free agents and cap space.
The Carolina Panthers projected to be $40,543,741 UNDER the cap (all salary info via Over The Cap) for 2017 and with 41 players under contract.
(EastBayNinerFan has the combined total of the salary cap surplus carry over from 2016 and the cap space for 2017 as $55,377,836).
My players of interest are Fozzy Whittaker, Kwann Short, Mike Remmers and Ryan Wendell.
Dollar figures listed are player’s 2016 cap hits.
43DE Charles Johnson - $2,562,500
Charles Johnson is 30 years old and was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2007 draft. Johnson has 26 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 passes defended and 3 forced fumbles this year.
RT Mike Remmers - $2,553,000
Mike Remmers is 27 years old and was originally picked up by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2012. The Panthers signed Remmers off of the Rams practice squad in October of 2014. Remmers has started all 15 games this season and is currently rated the 40th best tackle in the NFL by PFF.
WR Ted Ginn - $2,775,000
Ted Ginn is 31 years old and was originally drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2007 draft. Gin signed for the second time with the Panthers in March of 2015. Gin has 50 receptions for 683 yards and 4 touchdowns this season. He has 28 punt returns for 202 yards and 18 kick returns for 391 yards.
43DE Mario Addison - $1,620,000
Mario Addison is 29 years old and was originally picked up by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2011. The Panthers poached Addison from Washington’s practice squad in December of 2012. Addison has 24 tackles, 8 sacks and 2 forced fumbles this season.
S Michael Griffin - $1,000,000
Michael Griffin is 31 years old and was originally drafted by the Titans in the first round of the 2007 draft. The Panthers signed Griffin in September of this year. Griffin has 32 tackles this season.
43DT Kwann Short - $1,473,289
Kwann Short is 27 years old and was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2013 draft. Short is 6’3” and weighs 315 pounds. He has 53 tackles, 6 sacks and 1 forced fumble. PFF has him rated as the fourth best defensive lineman in the NFL. The Panthers better be prepared to lay some big money on Short this offseason.
S Colin Jones - $885,000
Colin Jones is 29 years old and was originally drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. The 49ers traded Jones to the Panthers for a seventh round draft pick in 2012. Jones has 5 tackles this season.
CB Teddy Williams - $1,010,000
Teddy Williams is 28 years old and was originally picked up by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Williams signed with the Panthers in March of 2015. He has 6 tackles, 2 passes defended and 1 interception this season.
C Ryan Wendell - $176,471
Ryan Wendell is 30 years old and was originally picked up by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. The Panthers signed Wendell on November 29th of this year. He hasn’t played any snaps this year. I am interested in bringing him into training camp to compete with Kilgore. I personally think Wendell would easily win the battle.
RG Chris Scott - $538,824
Chris Scott is 29 years old and was originally drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2010 draft. Scott originally signed with the Panthers in August of 2013 after being released by the Bills. He has started 4 games this season and played in 11. PFF has him rated as the 67th best guard in the NFL. Not bad for a cheap backup.
43DT Kyle Love - $494,118
Kyle Love is 30 years old and was originally picked up by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010. The Panthers signed Love in December of 2014. He has 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble this season.
CB Leonard Johnson - $600,000
Leonard Johnson is 26 years old and was originally picked up by the Bucs as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Johnson was signed by the Panthers in July of this year. Johnson has 29 tackles and 1 sack this season.
RB Fozzy Whittaker - $725,000
Fozzy Whittaker is 27 years old and was originally picked up by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2012. The Panthers signed Whittaker in July of 2014. Fozzy has 53 carries for 256 yards and 25 receptions for 226 yards this season. He has 11 kickoff returns for 240 yards.
43DE Wes Horton - $476,471
Wes Horton is 26 years old and was picked up by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Horton has 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble this season.
WR LaRon Byrd - $363,000
LaRon Byrd is 27 years old and was originally picked up by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Byrd was signed by the Panthers in May of this year. LaRon had a reception back in 2012. I hope he has a video of it.
ILB AJ Klein - $722,825
AJ Klein is 25 years old and was drafted by the Panthers in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. Klein has 32 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pass defended and 2 forced fumbles. He had 55 tackles in 2015. PFF has him rated as the 80th best ILB in the NFL this season.