The Carolina Panthers made a couple of free-agent signings last year that didn't age well. In an effort to boost their interior defensive line rotation, they signed both Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton—but neither one made a real impact in 2025 or lived up to the expectations that came with their respective contracts.
Well, the Panthers were able to salvage something, at least today, from Wharton's deal.
According to Spotrac, the team has restructured the veteran defensive tackle's pact—creating $9.7 million in cap room for the 2026 season.
The #Panthers converted $12.2M of DT TerShawn Wharton's salary into signing bonus, adding 3 void years, creating $9.7M of 2026 cap space. The 28-year-old has 2-years, $28.85M remaining on his contract in Carolina.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 10, 2026
This moves creates some much-needed breathing room, as the Panthers are now approximately $5 million under the cap. Sometimes, these restructures are a prelude to a big acquisition via free agency or a trade—but most likely, general manager Dan Morgan plans to pocket this space to keep compliant with the cap.
The Panthers have plugged a couple of big roster holes late in the game by signing tight end Darren Waller and linebacker Bobby Okereke. However, they still have needs on the edge after Nic Scourton's season-ending knee injury and the recent back issue for his replacement Pat Jones II.
Wharton, who signed to a three-year, $45 million deal in the spring of 2025, will begin the campaign on reserve/physically unable to perform list as he continues his recovery from offseason neck surgery.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers create nearly $10 million in cap space with restructure for defender
