This Carolina Panthers player has been named a cut candidate heading into the NFL offseason.
The Carolina Panthers are heading into an absolutely pivotal offseason in which they must deliver following a shocking NFC South division title in 2025.
The good news is that the Panthers stand to have a decent chunk of cap room should they make the necessary financial moves, and that will involve making some roster cuts.
Joe Person of The Athletic recently discussed Carolina's strategy in a mailbag, and he feels that defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson could be a cap casualty.
"In fact, the D-line seems like a place where the Panthers can trim a little fat to create cap space, with A’Shawn Robinson a potential cut as he enters the final year of his contract with a $12.6 million cap number," Person wrote.
The Panthers would save about $10.5 million if they were to release Robinson, and while the seasoned veteran is a great presence in the locker room, he is 30 years old and may not necessarily fit Carolina's timeline.
It's also important to remember that the Panthers signed both Bobby Brown and Tershawn Wharton last spring, so Robinson is expendable.
Carolina Panthers defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images.Robinson played in every game this past season, registering 65 tackles, 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits.
The University of Alabama product initially signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract with Carolina in March 2024 and recorded 80 tackles and 5.5 sacks during his debut campaign with the club.
But for as solid as Robinson's numbers appear on paper, Pro Football Focus only sees him as a decent player, having handed him a 65.5 overall grade for his work in 2025.
The former second-round pick began his NFL career with the Detroit Lions in 2016 and also spent time with the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants.
Robinson has been a solid piece everywhere he has gone, but he is definitely replaceable, so it would not be the least bit surprising if the Panthers cut him in order to recoup some money this spring.
Carolina could also look toward the NFL Draft to find a replacement for Robinson, and some have even linked the Panthers to defensive tackles in the first round (although that seems fairly unlikely given their other needs).