CHARLOTTE - Eighteen players who ended the 2018 season on the Panthers roster officially became free agents Wednesday when the new league year began.
The list of free agents includes retiring players Ryan Kalil and Julius Peppers, along with 15 other unrestricted free agents. It also includes free agent wide receiver Damiere Byrd, who was a potential restricted free agent that wasn't tendered by the Panthers. Carolina, in addition to re-signing three potential restricted free agents and locking up all four of its exclusive rights free agents prior to the start of the league year, re-signed safeties Eric Reid and Colin Jones leading up to free agency.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
- S Mike Adams
- RB Cameron Artis-Payne
- RB Kenjon Barner
- RB Travaris Cadet
- K Chandler Catanzaro
- OT Chris Clark
- LB Thomas Davis
- WR Devin Funchess
- DE Wes Horton
- LB Ben Jacobs (hired as assistant coach)
- S Colin Jones (re-signed 3/11)
- C Ryan Kalil (retiring)
- DT Kyle Love
- LB David Mayo
- OT Marshall Newhouse
- DE Julius Peppers (retiring)
- S Eric Reid (re-signed 2/11)
- G Amini Silatolu
- RB Fozzy Whittaker
- OT Daryl Williams
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
- WR Damiere Byrd
- QB Taylor Heinicke (signed 3/12)
- TE Chris Manhertz (signed 1/29)
- LB Jared Norris (signed 3/5)
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
- DE Bryan Cox Jr. (tendered 3/6)
- RB Elijah Hood (signed 2/25)
- DE Efe Obada (signed 1/23)
- S Damian Parms (signed 2/21)
*Players become unrestricted free agents if they have four or more accrued seasons when their contract expires. Restricted free agents have three accrued seasons, and exclusive rights free agents have two or fewer accrued seasons. The Panthers can tender a contract and then match any offer made by another team to their restricted free agents, while exclusive rights free agents will either be offered and accept a contract from the Panthers or not be offered a contract and become a free agent.
