After DeAngelo Williams broke his own news, telling WBTV that he was released last Monday by the Carolina Panthers, let’s look ahead to what the team is facing without its all-time leading rusher.
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Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert are the only backs under contract for 2015. Fozzy Whittaker is an exclusive rights free agent who is expected back.
- A key spark to the late-season playoff run, Stewart proved what he could do when healthy last year. Of course, the ‘when healthy’ is something to worry about when it comes to Stewart. He sat out three games last year, but that’s a small number compared to the 17 he missed from 2012-13.
- Tolbert’s a decent contributor when he gets touches, but those are limited for the fullback. He was very durable in his previous six seasons before he missed half of last year with a hairline fracture below his knee.
- Whittaker flashed when he was given an opportunity during his first season in Carolina, but he has just 60 carries and 224 yards since coming into the league in 2013.
- The Panthers are expected to make Williams a post-June 1 release, which will save them about $2 million toward the salary cap. They will still take a $4.3 million hit in dead money, but they could add a back or two when free agency starts next month.
- If the Cowboys let him test the market, DeMarco Murray will be too pricey, but here are some of the bigger names scheduled to become free agents: C.J. Spiller (Bills), Mark Ingram (Saints), Shane Vereen (Patriots), Ryan Matthews (Chargers), Justin Forsett (Ravens), Frank Gore (49ers), Chris Johnson (Jets).
- The NFL draft also has a number of intriguing options. The Panthers would have to be willing to use their first-round pick to take one of the top two backs: Todd Gurley (Georgia) and Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin). But guys like Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), Jay Ajayi (Boise State) and Duke Johnson (Miami, FL) could be had in the middle rounds.