Image via Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers get a little richer with a move everyone saw coming

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Ian Kayanja | Last updated 3/18/24

Shaq Thompson is a leader in more ways than one, and he is showing it with his latest contract restructuring.

Thompson restructured his contract that was signed last offseason with the Carolina Panthers. The restructuring lowered his base pay this season to $3.1 million, with $1.7 million guaranteed, and cleared up approximately $3 million in cap space for the team, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported Saturday.

The #Panthers recently restructured LB Shaq Thompson's contract, reducing his base pay this season to $3.1 million ($1.7M guaranteed) and clearing about $3M in cap space.

So amidst a roster overhaul in Carolina, Thompson -- the team's first-round pick in 2015 -- will be back.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 16, 2024

Thompson's restructuring will bring him to his 10th season with the Panthers.

Before the latest restructuring, Thompson's contract would have been a $24.4 million cap hit for 2023.

Thompson broke his fibula in the second week of the 2023 season and missed the rest of the year. The Panthers and Thompson will be hoping for a return to health and a return to the kind of production that he’s provided on defense over the rest of his decade in the NFL.

His most productive season came when he collected 135 tackles during the 2022 season. The Panthers are hoping he returns to that during the 2024 campaign.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: