If the Panthers are in fact blowing it up, it makes sense to trade every expensive veteran who has value.
Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner qualifies.
According to Jenna Laine of ESPN.com, the Panthers are shopping Turner for a possible trade.
Turner signed a four-year, $45 million contract extension in 2017. They’d clear $3 million of cap space if they traded him this offseason, but would carry over $9.5 million in dead money.
But if a purge is on the point is accumulating assets rather than cap considerations, and Turner should have value on the open market, as he’s been to five straight Pro Bowls, is only 26, and has two years of contract left for the team acquiring him.
The Panthers have already released Greg Olsen, lost Luke Kuechly to retirement, aren’t picking up the option on Dontari Poe and have an arm-long list of free agents.
If they’re dealing Turner, it’s a reasonable sign that everyone is for sale, as he’s the kind of player a new coach should want to build around if the point is to win.