Carolina began positioning for free agency today by clearing $5.8 million in salary cap space with the of veterans Charles Johnson and Kurt Coleman. Johnson’s departure was expected. He’s turning 32 this season and his play has declined as to be expected from an 11-yr veteran at one of the most physically destructive positions of the game.
Coleman’s release is a bit more surprising. Releasing Coleman freed about $2.6 million in cap space, but it also removes the more reliable of options at safety on a unit that wasn’t Carolina’s strongest to begin. Over the last few years, Coleman has been the bright spot at a position that Carolina never committed to addressing.