PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 08: Carolina Panthers linebacker D.J. Wonnum (98) looks on in the first half during the game between the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles on December 08, 2024 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Carolina Panthers have a couple surprise players on list of potential NFL salary cap cuts

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Jan 18, 2025 9:08 AM ET

Every year NFL teams cut players who may appear to be indispensible from the outside. The hard fact of the business is that nobody's roster spot is safe over the long run, especially when there's a good amount of cap savings to be found when they get cut.

In the case of the Carolina Panthers, there are some obvious candidates for general manager Dan Morgan to axe in the coming weeks as he prepares for free agency. Veteran running back Miles Sanders is one - cutting him would save the team over $5 million at a position that's highly-expendable. Cornerback Dane Jackson is another - Carolina can save $3.35 million by cutting him.

Earlier this week Over the Cap came out with a list of 100 players around the league who might become salary cap casualties. While Sanders and Jackson and a few other predictable Panthers made the cut, it also included a couple of surprises.

OLB DJ Wonnum

The first big surprise on OTC"s list is outside linebacker DJ Wonnum, who helped invigorate the Panthers' pass rush when he finally joined the lineup around midseason. Despite playing just eight games Wonnum finished the season with four sacks, which was far more efficient than any other pass rusher on the roster. However, the Panthers could save $6.225 million by cutting him, while only taking on a dead money hit of $1.725 million. That makes Wonnum a cut candidate, no matter how valuable he may be to Ejiro Evero's front seven.

WR Adam Thielen

Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen was another surprise name on OTC's list of 100 potential salary cap casualties. Even though Thielen was the team's best player over the last month of the season he might be on the chopping block as well, depending on the timing. If they designate Thielen a post-June 1 cut the Panthers can save over $6.3 million in cap room, and take on around $1.7 million in dead money. Thielen finished the season with five touchdowns and 615 yards in just 10 games.

We would be surprised if either Wonnum or Thielen actually gets cut, but it wouldn't be the first time. At the moment the Panthers have less than $17 million in effective cap space for the 2025 season.