3. Shy Tuttle, Defensive Lineman
The recent Panthers offseasons are full of disastrous signings that didn't work out at all. Many of them appear on this list.
Yet, perhaps none of them have performed as poorly as Shy Tuttle did over the last two years. Since the Panthers signed him to a three-year, $19.5 million deal in 2023, the veteran defensive lineman has been utterly underwhelming.
Last year, Tuttle ranked 191st out of 219 interior defenders with a 42.7 grade per Pro Football Focus. His first season in Carolina wasn't that much better, as he finished with a 52.9 overall defensive grade on PFF.
This is a serious decline from a player who showed a ton of promise during his first four years in the league in New Orleans. The undrafted free agent had carved out a successful career for himself with the Saints but such is life in the NFL. Things change quickly, and one day, you sign a lucrative, long-term deal in free agency and the next day, you are on the verge of being a cap casualty.
Cutting Tuttle before he enters the final year of his deal would save the Panthers $3.3 million in cap space. This could go all the way up to $6.5 million if they make him a post-June 1 cut. It's not a ton of money, but it's better than paying a player who hasn't been producing for the last two seasons.
The Panthers need to find a partner for Derrick Brown in the interior defensive line. They ranked dead last in run defense and pass rush per PFF last season. Tuttle obviously played a big part in that as the team's nose tackle. An upgrade at that spot is an offseason priority.