Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis played just two games last season before tearing the ACL in his right knee for the third time. Now his goal is to become the first person ever to play in the NFL after three ACL reconstructions, and if he accomplishes that goal it will be with the Panthers.
Davis has restructured his contract to remain in Carolina and give the Panthers $3.8 million in salary-cap space, Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com reports.
Under his old deal, Thomas was due an $8 million roster bonus tomorrow. He won’t receive that bonus now, and his base salary will be reduced from $2.25 million to $700,000.
The new deal is backloaded, with Davis’s base salary in 2015 going all the way up to $7.25 million. Realistically, it’s a long shot that Davis will still be playing in 2015. But if Davis plays even one more NFL game, he’ll have overcome enormous odds. After playing a total of just nine games over the last three years, he’s going to give it another shot with the Panthers.