According to a report by Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, the Carolina Panthers have signed running back C.J. Anderson to a one-year contract worth approximately $1.7 million with around $800k in incentives.
Here are the details on Anderson’s deal from Person’s report:
In talking with people in the organization, I get the sense the Panthers are done adding major roster pieces before training camp. Even if Hurney were so inclined, he might not have the money to do so.
The Panthers were about $7 million below the salary cap before signing C.J. Anderson to a 1-year deal Monday (worth approximately $1.7 million with about $800,000 in incentives, according to a league source).
And for those of you hoping the Panthers add a few more quality free agents, that might not be possible:
That’s enough to take care of the draft picks and undrafted free agents while staying under the cap (only the top 51 contracts count against it). But it doesn’t leave room for much else, unless Hurney wanted to free up space by converting the big salaries of Newton and middle linebacker Luke Kuechly to signing bonuses, for instance.
My take
I hope that Hurney can find a way to create some cap space to sign at least one more player, preferably a safety. If the Panthers can shore up the last line of defense, the 2018 team can be something special.
For fans who are worried about free agent signings taking away compensatory picks from the Panthers — fear not. Signed free agents no longer count in the compensatory pick formula for 2019, so that third rounder we’ll get for Andrew Norwell is safe.
What do you think, Panthers fans? Do you like the C.J. Anderson deal now that we know the terms? Should Hurney create some cap space and sign a safety? Why or why not? Should he focus on a different position? If so, which one? Share your thoughts with us!