Khalil Mack projected contract: Can the Panthers afford to sign aging superstar?

Can Carolina even afford to add Khalil Mack?

Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Chargers Khalil Mack (52) moves on the field against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Khalil Mack, a possible Carolina Panthers target in free agency, decided not to retire from the NFL. He's going to give it one more go, so this may be his final foray into free agency. He's probably going to have a lot of suitors and won't be cheap.

There's no such thing as a bad one-year investment in sports. If it fails spectacularly, they can be traded or otherwise, the money comes off the books at the end of the year anyway. However, those one-year deals can be costly. Do the Panthers even have the cap space to sign him?

Can the Panthers afford to go after Khalil Mack?

Khalil Mack may end up being too costly for the team. The Carolina Panthers have about $22 million in cap space for 2025 right now. They will undoubtedly try to clear up more, but it's hard to imagine adding too much money to spend this offseason.

Mack is coming off a $19.5 million salary in 2024. He had eight total sacks in 18 played games this year, which isn't incredible but is still solid. That will dilute his price range. The fact that it's a one-year deal and that there might be a bit of a bidding war suggests that the price could rise again. He's likely to get at least $13 million and could sign for $15 million.

That is admittedly too steep for the Panthers in all likelihood. $15 million is 60.1% of the total cap. The Panthers, who have holes all up and down the defense, cannot afford to devote that much of their remaining cap space to one player, especially one who might not even record double-digit sacks. If the price gets lower, then we can talk about adding Mack.

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