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Panthers give Digg contract extension

By Charles Chandler

McClatchy Tribune Wire Service

Published: March 4, 2009

The Carolina Panthers created some salary cap room by extending and restructuring the contract of linebacker Na'il Diggs.

The move helped offset a combined cap growth of $2.8million to the 2009 base salaries of running back Jonathan Stewart, linebacker Thomas Davis and defensive end Tyler Brayton due to contract accelerators they earned last season, according to NFL Players Association documents.

Stewart, Davis and Brayton had escalators in their contracts to reward them for statistical achievements, playing time, performance, etc. Stewart, who rushed for a team rookie record of 836 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, earned an additional $1million to raise his '09 base salary from $1.74 million to $2.74 million. Davis, who ranked second on the team with 136 tackles, more than tripled his '09 base salary from $700,000 to $2.2 million.

Brayton earned $300,000 in escalators to increase his '09 base pay from $1.8million to $2.1million. He started all 16 games last season, totaling a career-high 4 1/2 sacks and 59 tackles, just two shy of the career high he set with Oakland in 2003.

Diggs' contract was due to expire in 2010, but was extended to 2014. He likely received some guaranteed money to be prorated over the life of the new contract and thus provide salary cap relief. His '09 base salary dropped by $725,00 from $1.65million to $925,000, and went down from $2million in 2010 to $855,000.

The Panthers previously extended the contracts of defensive tackles Damione Lewis and Maake Kemoeatu in similar fashion for cap help, stretching them from 2010 to 2014.