Latest contract trigger puts the writing on the wall for the Panthers to move on from one pending free agent with a ticking clock on another
It’s less likely for this player to be back with the Carolina Panthers.
The Carolina Panthers got a delayed start to the offseason after reaching the playoffs before ultimately falling in the first round to the Los Angeles Rams. Ever since then, it’s been full steam ahead toward the upcoming offseason decisions.
One of the upcoming decisions just became a lot easier for the Panthers to assess as it relates to one pending free agents. Outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum had his contract voided on Monday leaving behind a total of $1,200,000 in dead cap, no matter what.
How the voided contracts work and why D.J. Wonnum is unlikely to return
When the Panthers signed Wonnum, his contract included three void years for 2026-2028. Doing so helped spread the cap hit but now the first void year has arrived, which turns that money into dead cap the team has to pay.
It’s a dead cap of $600,000 in 2026, $400,000 in 2027, and $200,000 in 2028. The Panthers could still look to keep Wonnum, but it would have been smarter to work those deals out before Monday’s trigger date.
Now that the contract is voided, everything will hit on the cap at once. So if the Panthers re-sign Wonnum, the new value would be added on top of the dead cap hits in 2026, 2027 and 2028. With that being the case, it’s likely he hits the open market next month. It’s a similar fate coming up for offensive guard Austin Corbett as well, although the team has more time to make a decision.
The void trigger date for Austin Corbett is coming up soon as well after being pushed back
Corbett’s original trigger date for his 2026 void year was on Monday as well, but the Panthers reportedly pushed that date back to March 11, giving the two sides more time to work out a deal. If they can’t by that date, Corbett’s contract will void also, creating $4,441,750 in dead cap.
The Panthers were already prepared to handle the loss of Wonnum after drafting two EDGE defenders last April in Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Carolina is also expected to heavily pursue a top free agent edge rusher to replace Wonnum.
It’s a different conversation with Corbett, who’s been with the team since 2022. Corbett hasn’t played a full season since his first year with the team and moving on should be in the team’s best interest, even if Corbett voiced his desire to remain in Carolina.
“The biggest thing this year is that I’m fully healthy going into this offseason,” Corbett said. “This is the first time since 2022 when I’m not working on anything. That’s just where the happiness comes from. I was talking to my wife last night, and there’s just a stress release of making it through a season. Had a little hiccup there. But we’re good. So enjoying that. The rest of the process will take care of itself.”
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