Brian Answers: Free Agency Cannot Come Soon Enough

We bring you answers to your fan questions in this week’s mailbag!

Hello CSR! Welcome to Brian Answers, part two of your weekly Panthers fan mailbag for everyone! This week, we got a ton of questions on free agent targets and strategy, and scenarios on what to do with pick #8. I can tell Panthers fans are chomping at the bit to see some action in free agency, as the Panthers appear to be gearing up to make some MOVES.

Let’s dive in and answer your questions!

DannyLimes: 2 part question from me.

What percentage would you give us on re-signing Andy Dalton as back up QB?

What do the panthers do with Taylor Moton; Extend, restructure or let the contract play out and get out of the restructuring and causing problems down the line?

• Later that day when this was asked, Andy Dalton was re-signed to a 2 year deal. Still, I wanted to highlight it because bringing Dalton back should signal one certainty: The Panthers QB room is set. They may look to replace Jack Plummer, but the 3rd QB and camp bodies shouldn’t be anything of consequence.
• I think the only two realistic options are to give Moton an extension, or to let him play out his contract. I don’t think restructuring makes any sense, when 1. he’s already on the last year of his deal and 2. the Panthers have already pushed cap space into the future in the form of void years. I think extending him now with one year left gives them more flexibility with the contract, whereas next year he’s hitting free agency, so you’re either matching a market offer or you need to replace your starting right tackle. Extending him should actually free up some space for them this season as well. So that’s my take.

MarloBarksdale99: If you had to choose 1 of these players to sign who would it be? Chris Godwin of Jevon Holland?

When do you think that Jaycee will get the re-up and also how much..?

Jevon Holland, without question, even with a top of the safety market contract. He’s younger, and Chris Godwin serves as another heavy slot type. His biggest benefit to me would be allowing him to work alongside Xavier Legette and teach him some things that would allow him more success in the NFL, where Holland would add a piece at either safety spot that Ejiro Evero’s defense desperately needs.

I think Jaycee gets the extension this off-season, if only because I think this is the right time. He’s coming off a good year, but on such a bad defense he wasn’t making a ton of the splash plays that get CBs paid. He’s probably looking at the neighborhood of $19-21 million on a per year basis just looking at the top contracts in the league right now. If the Panthers got him down to $15-18 million based on injury history, that’s a bargain in my opinion.

**buckbeast: Do you feel...