It might be a good idea for the Carolina Panthers to place a giant sign “under construction” just in front of the Bank of America stadium. No, not because they are going to review the installation itself, but because of the complete retooling of the list that is in progress.
We first saw the franchise start to change masts with the dismissal of longtime head coach Ron Rivera in the middle of last season. Since then, Matt Rhule has been hired to replace him, but several familiar faces have made their way to the door. Greg Olsen (signed with Seattle) and Luke Kuechly (retired) are just two of the more recognizable names who have chosen to leave Carolina in one way or another. Now Pro Bowl Guard Trai Turner Could Be Next ESPN’s Jenna Laine reports the Panthers are buying the 26-year-old from the league.
It is certainly a little confusing to see the Panthers trying to leave Turner. In truth, he should be a player that Rhule and his company would like to keep for the long term, especially given his success in the league and among young people. Turner will be only 27 years old at the start of training camp, has participated in five consecutive Pro Bowls and has two years left on the $ 45 million contract he signed with Carolina in 2017.
Its ceiling reaches nearly $ 13 million in 2020 and its balloons at $ 15.4 million in 2021, which could explain in part why the Panthers would seek to cut the bait. By getting rid of Turner now, they would not only get what should be a solid return on the commercial market, but also free up around $ 3 million from their cap for next season.
Given Turner’s short term, youth and reputation as one of the best indoor liners in the NFL, Carolina will likely see a number of teams lining up to try to acquire it as part of an agreement to strengthen its offensive line. Depending on what they offer, the Panthers could pull the trigger, send Turner out of town, and continue the purge that is currently taking place on the list.