It was always known that the Kansas City Chiefs were going to lose some key players this offseason. The bill came due, and several beloved veterans like Joe Thuney, Justin Reid, and Tershawn 'Turk' Wharton, among others, are all gone.
Now, new faces will be in their place. The core of this team is still in place with additions, and the Chiefs should once again be expected to compete for a Super Bowl to keep this dynastic run rolling.
That won't be the case for some of the players Kansas City lost, though. This environment propped some guys up, even those who deserved it, and one former Chief's new team in particular might regret breaking the bank.
Tershawn Wharton in 2024:
— PFF CAR Panthers (@PFF_Panthers) March 10, 2025
🔵 6.5 sacks (12th among DI)
Your newest Panther 🙌 https://t.co/oXRAUU7OKQ pic.twitter.com/JXRqLHLv8p
Panthers Likely to Regret Major Contract for DT Turk Wharton
The Carolina Panthers made one of the biggest splashes in free agency when they signed Wharton to a three-year, $45 million deal worth up to $54 million in incentives. There's a whopping $30 guaranteed and Wharton is now in the top 20 highest-paid defensive tackles in the sport. For a guy with just one season under his belt with more than two sacks, that's a gamble.
To his credit, Wharton was beloved by his teammates and just had 6.5 sacks in an impressive tour de force. He's earned the opportunity for a larger role and actually claimed to be out of his natural position most of the time in Kansas City.
That said, he certainly benefitted by playing alongside Chris Jones and George Karlaftis in Steve Spagnuolo's scheme. He graded just 107th out of 211 qualified interior defensive linemen at Pro Football Focus, fairly unimpressive in a career-best year. The investment the Panthers made in him showcases their belief but if Wharton doesn't produce, they'll quickly have buyer's remorse.
$15 million a year on average is nothing to scoff at. His base salary in 2025 after his signing bonus is less than $2 million, so it won't limit Carolina in the salary cap much, though his numbers quickly rise in 2026 and 2027. The Panthers have a potential out after 2026, though the damage could be done by that point.
No Chiefs fan wants to see Wharton struggle, and the entire Kingdom is rooting for his success. Based purely on his five years of production in KC, however, it was surprising to see him get such a large contract, suggesting it might be destined to fail.