The Carolina Panthers had a solid offseason, re-signing starting players like wide receiver DJ Moore and cornerback Donte Jackson, and adding talent to weak spots like the offensive line. The Panthers are reportedly not done making moves yet, as they completed a simple restructuring of running back Christian McCaffrey’s contract, freeing up about $5.5 million from the ceiling. according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media.
The Panthers now have the most affordable cap space in the NFL at $29,060,636 per cap. As for the reason behind the move, Carolina is still looking for a quarterback and may be the favorite to get San Francisco 49ers signalman Jimmy Garoppolo. However, it’s also possible that the Carolinas will choose to use their No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to add a quarterback rather than send the pick to San Fran.
Carolina’s adjusted contract belongs to the highest paid running back in the NFL. Back in April 2020, the Panthers rebooted the running back market by signing McCaffrey to a four-year, $16 million per season contract. However, the contract, unfortunately, negated the success of McCaffrey, as he played only 10 games over the past two years due to numerous injuries. A season before signing his record-breaking extension, McCaffrey raised a toast to NFL defense with 2,392 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns.