Projected NFL salary cap 2024
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CHARLOTTE — When you're 1-5, on your second head coach of the season, and don't have what you'd call any stability at quarterback, you're kind of an easy mark for criticism. But as the Panthers front office looks into the future, they see the makings of what they consider a stable plan and the kind of flexibility they want to add to it next year and beyond. Show
While they've taken some flak since letting coach Matt Rhule go for having no clear blueprint for 2023 at coach and quarterback — and those are two really big factors — there are also many of the other pieces in place once they fill in those two blanks next offseason. While sometimes described as "a mess" on Twitter for the lack of cap space in 2023 — and 280 characters allows little in the way of context — they also have fewer needs (beyond quarterback) than some other teams, and enough starters under contract through next year or beyond to make it a shorter shopping list anyway. And without any kind of broader view, the information that's out there often paints a misleading picture of what's going on at the moment. "There actually is a plan in place," Panthers vice president of football administration Samir Suleiman said, the understatement evident. "Cap space is always a fluid thing, but we've got a multi-year plan in place that accounts for a lot of scenarios. And a lot of the things you'd want to spend it on is already in place here." And what's on hand includes the big-ticket items, the kinds of things that are expensive to obtain if you don't have them. Of their current 22 starters on offense and defense, 20 are under contract for next year (everything but the quarterback and defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis). That includes a pass-rusher (Brian Burns), a left tackle (Ikem Ekwonu), a top cornerback (Jaycee Horn ), and a top-shelf wide receiver (DJ Moore, who was signed to his deal at a time when receiver contracts were exploding league-wide), all home-grown players who were chosen in the first round. Reasonable minds can differ on the order you'd put them in, but if you ranked positions in order of importance and expense, that represents four of the top five. Throw in defensive tackle Derrick Brown (playing his best football now and under contractual control through at least 2024) and a playmaking safety in Jeremy Chinn, and it's a solid young group of players — but most importantly, most of the premium positions are boxes checked off. "The point is, having those core guys already here is something we've planned for," Suleiman said. So while they might not have the kind of cap room next offseason to make major purchases (like last offseason when they signed eight starters before or during the free agency period (Ioannidis, Xavier Woods, Damien Wilson, Austin Corbett, and returning starters Moore, Donte Jackson, Frankie Luvu, and Ian Thomas), they also don't have as many holes to fill. Of that group, only Ioannidis was signed to a one-year deal. The entire offensive line, as it stands now, is under contract for next year, as is the entire secondary. Those two position groups have been strengths so far this year, things you want to build on. There are also easy buttons to push to create cap space through cuts, trades, or restructures. For instance, Burns is on the books now for $16 million in 2023 for his fifth-year option. An extension for a player they want to extend would bring his cap number down, immediately adding more room. They created $12 million worth of 2023 cap room by trading Robbie Anderson Monday. There are also $85 million in non-guaranteed deals on the books in 2023, meaning there's flexibility to create space in chunks with releases or restructures if they need to, but they aren't in a spot other teams have been in, which require major purges to get into compliance with the cap. And even if they added a high-drafted quarterback to the mix, his first-year cap number would be around $7 million next year (a fraction of what they have tied up in Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold this season). That quarterback could walk into a ready-made offensive line with Moore on the outside, and that's not the worst place to be. As general manager Scott Fitterer witnessed in Seattle, having pieces in place before the quarterback gets there creates an environment for a rookie quarterback to succeed. It's also worth noting that cap numbers can be worked with, and there are few teams who fiddle with numbers to stay in compliance annually; the Panthers aren't in that spot next year. They've worked through years with more dead money on the books (which is the kind of thing that happens during regime changes, especially during the COVID years), and aren't in that spot now, even figuring in a hit for the Anderson deal. They also have built in future ability to do things by planning ahead. Beyond the guys on their rookie deals, they're getting solid value out of players on multi-years like Woods, Corbett, and Luvu, along with punter Johnny Hekker, an All-Decade player on a three-year contract. And looking ahead, they're projected to have more than $80 million in cap space in 2024 and more than $145 million in 2025 (and those are conservative projections, which don't include the possibility of the cap rising with new television deals). There are significant expenditures that will cut into those sums, of course, as players such as Burns and Brown (and Horn if he continues on his current trajectory) won't be cheap. And unless a drafted quarterback provides value on the field, a low cap number won't be that much of an advantage. Again, the Panthers are 1-5 and have no idea who their coach or quarterback will be next year. That's not nothing. But they also have enough things in place that cap space or a plan for the future aren't nearly the factors some people think they are.  1 / 108 DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis
2 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers 4 / 108 Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 5 / 108 WR - Shi Smith Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 6 / 108 RB - Chuba Hubbard Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 7 / 108 WR - Terrace Marshall Jr. Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 8 / 108 S - Xavier Woods Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 9 / 108 TE - Ian Thomas Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 10 / 108 LB - Brandon Smith Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 11 / 108 CB - Donte Jackson Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 12 / 108 DE - Brian Burns Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 13 / 108 WR - Rashard Higgins Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 14 / 108 RB - Chuba Hubbard Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 15 / 108 TE - Ian Thomas Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 16 / 108 WR - Shi Smith Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 17 / 108 WR - Laviska Shenault Jr. Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 18 / 108 DT - Phil Hoskins 19 / 108 DT - 95 - Derrick Brown 20 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 21 / 108 CB - 28 - Keith Taylor Jr. 22 / 108 T - 72 - Taylor Moton 23 / 108 Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 24 / 108 WR - 2 - DJ Moore Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 25 / 108 CB - 32 - Tae Hayes 26 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 27 / 108 CB - 26 - Donte Jackson 28 / 108 CB - 32 - Tae Hayes 29 / 108 P - 10 - Johnny Hekker 30 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker 31 / 108 DT - 99 - Matt Ioannidis 32 / 108 LB - 55 - Cory Littleton 33 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker 35 / 108 DE - 53 - Brian Burns 36 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker 37 / 108 RB - 20 - Raheem Blackshear Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 38 / 108 TE - 84 - Stephen Sullivan Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 39 / 108 TE - 84 - Stephen Sullivan Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 40 / 108 CB - 24 - CJ Henderson Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 41 / 108 WR - 12 - Shi Smith Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 42 / 108 DT - 71 - Phil Hoskins Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 43 / 108 Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 44 / 108 Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 45 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 46 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey 47 / 108 S - 42 - Sam Franklin Jr. Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 48 / 108 LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson Steve Wilks Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 49 / 108 P - 10 - Johnny Hekker Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 50 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 51 / 108 Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 52 / 108 LB - 55 - Cory Littleton Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 53 / 108 WR - 88 - Terrace Marshall Jr. Chanelle Smith-Walker/Carolina Panthers 54 / 108 S - 25 - Xavier Woods Carolina Panthers 55 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers 56 / 108 Carolina Panthers 57 / 108 Carolina Panthers 58 / 108 Carolina Panthers 59 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers 60 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers 61 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker Carolina Panthers 62 / 108 RB - 30 - Chuba Hubbard Carolina Panthers 66 / 108 S - 31 - Juston Burris 67 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker 68 / 108 Carolina Panthers 69 / 108 Carolina Panthers 72 / 108 CB - 26 - Donte Jackson 73 / 108 Carolina Panthers 75 / 108 DE - 53 - Brian Burns Carolina Panthers 76 / 108 RB - 22 - Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers 77 / 108 Carolina Panthers 79 / 108 S - 42 - Sam Franklin Jr. Carolina Panthers 80 / 108 Carolina Panthers 81 / 108 Carolina Panthers 82 / 108 Carolina Panthers 83 / 108 Carolina Panthers 84 / 108 Carolina Panthers 85 / 108 S - 25 - Xavier Woods Carolina Panthers 86 / 108 DE - 53 - Brian Burns Carolina Panthers 87 / 108 Carolina Panthers 88 / 108 Carolina Panthers 89 / 108 Carolina Panthers 90 / 108 Carolina Panthers 91 / 108 Carolina Panthers 92 / 108 DT - 95 - Derrick Brown 93 / 108 P - 10 - Johnny Hekker Carolina Panthers 94 / 108 Carolina Panthers 95 / 108 Carolina Panthers 96 / 108 Carolina Panthers 97 / 108 LB - 7 - Shaq Thompson Carolina Panthers 98 / 108 Carolina Panthers 99 / 108 Carolina Panthers 100 / 108 Carolina Panthers 101 / 108 Carolina Panthers 102 / 108 Carolina Panthers 103 / 108 Carolina Panthers 104 / 108 QB - 11 - P.J. Walker Carolina Panthers 105 / 108 Carolina Panthers 106 / 108 QB - 16 - Jacob Eason Carolina Panthers 107 / 108 Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers 108 / 108 DE - 53 - Brian Burns Kenny Richmond/Carolina Panthers What will the NFL salary cap be in 2025?NFL and NFLPA Look Forward to the Future Salary Cap. What will the NFL salary cap be in 2026?If the models projecting future years of the NFL salary cap are accurate, it could approach $230 million in 2023. Realistically, a $300 million NFL salary cap is possible by the 2026 season if the current trends continue. Who will have the most cap space in 2023 NFL?The Chicago Bears are No. 1 with an astounding $110.8 million of projected room under the cap. Who will have the most cap space next year NFL?NFL Team Salary Cap Tracker. What will the NFL salary cap be in 2025?NFL and NFLPA Look Forward to the Future Salary Cap. What will the NFL salary cap be in 2026?If the models projecting future years of the NFL salary cap are accurate, it could approach $230 million in 2023. Realistically, a $300 million NFL salary cap is possible by the 2026 season if the current trends continue.
Who has the most NFL cap space 2023?The Chicago Bears are No. 1 with an astounding $110.8 million of projected room under the cap.
What is the NFL salary cap for 2022 2023?The salary cap is set at $208.2 million, this season's non-adjusted maximum for NFL teams.
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