Money talks.
Unless the money’s dead, that is.
In the NFL, “dead money” can hamstring a team’s salary cap flexibility, making it difficult re-sign current players or bring in free agents.
Fortunately for Carolina Panthers fans, GM Dave Gettleman has done a very good job at minimizing dead money. Per CBS Sports.com, Carolina currently has just $1.98 million in dead money on its books, the seventh lowest figure in the NFL.
What Is Dead Money?
At a high level, dead money is incurred when players receive signing bonuses or other salary guarantees and are then either released or traded before the expiration of their contracts.