Pat

Elflein

The Cardinals signed Elflein to a one-year deal earlier this offseason after he was cut by the Panthers. The veteran center has started in all but one of the 65 games he’s appeared in for his career and hasn’t played in double-digit games since 2019. Hip surgery ended his 2022 campaign, and could be the reason for what is now a lost 2023 season.

Elflein was a cap casualty of the Panthers earlier this offseason, as the team opted to cut ties with him to save $4.2 million in cap space. Elflein ended last season on injured reserve after having surgery on his hip. He could earn a starting role on a Cardinals roster that’s already thin at multiple spots. The Cardinals also inked tight end Geoff Swain to a deal.

A rumored cap casualty for a bit now, Elflein’s release frees up roughly $4.2 million in cap space for Carolina. They didn’t need a big salaried center after re-upping Bradley Bozeman. Elflein will probably be a bottom-rung starting center somewhere in 2023 if he’s healthy -- he finished the year on IR with a hip issue that he had surgery for in late October.

Elflein has a $7.06 million cap hit in 2023 and a release would save the Panthers roughly $4.2 million in cap space. This is presented in a broader context of Carolina wanting to save money to re-sign starting center Bradley Bozeman. Elflein started last season as Carolina’s center, but was placed on IR in October and underwent hip surgery. This seems like a pretty strong case for a release.

Elflein was placed on injured reserve because of the hip issue on Saturday. Per Wilks, Bradley Bozeman will continue to replace him in the lineup. Bozeman was a three-year starter with the Ravens before signing with the Panthers in the offseason.

Elflein was on the practice report with a hip issue before being listed as questionable. The injury may have been worse than initially expected as he was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. Bradley Bozeman, a three-year starter with the Ravens before signing with Carolina, will replace Elflein in the lineup.

Elflein’s $4.87 million salary was converted into a bonus, creating $2.43 million in cap space. The restructure puts Carolina at $30 million under the cap. With coach Matt Rhule on the hot seat, the Panthers are expected to be active in both trades and free agency. Carolina and Seattle are the frontrunners to trade for Texans QB Deshaun Watson.

Elflein played 23 snaps in Week 2 before injuring his hamstring and failing to return. Dennis Daley, a sixth-rounder from Carolina’s 2019 draft class, will get the start at left guard on Thursday night against Houston.

Elflein saw 23 snaps in Week 2 before injuring his hamstring. Pro Football Focus graded him as a poor blocker in run and pass protection last year and he showed no signs of change in his one and a half games with the Panthers. Rhule said Dennis Daley, a sixth-rounder from the Panthers’ 2019 class, will get the start at left guard.

Carolina’s entire interior offensive line needs to be overhauled, and this is the first of many moves to fix those holes. Elflein, 26, has started at right guard, center, and left guard over the last three seasons with the Vikings and Jets. A former third-rounder from Ohio State, Elflein projects as a low-end starter on the interior. Where he’ll suit up depends on who else is brought in. His contract includes $6 million fully guaranteed.