Each NFL team’s worst contract on the books entering 2019

Carolina Panthers: Matt Kalil

Matt Kalil was the No. 4 overall pick of the Minnesota Vikings during the 2012 NFL Draft. He was expected to be the cornerstone of their offensive line for years. However, Kalil missed most of the 2016 NFL season with a hip injury. After the injury-riddled 2016 campaign, he signed a monster contract to protect Cam Newton’s blindside in with the Carolina Panthers.

Since signing with Carolina, Kalil has not been as good as advertised, and has yet to make a Pro Bowl with his new team. The five-year, $55 million contract he inked with Carolina was given to him because the team felt he was one of the better left tackles in football, but he has not shown to be that so far.

Last year, Kalil was placed on injured reserve for the second time in his career, as a knee issue ended his season before it even started. After starting all 16 games for Carolina in his first season with the team back in 2017, Kalil did not play in a single game last season. The Panthers certainly struggled without  him up front.

In 2019, Kalil will cost over $12 million against the cap, and would actually be a dead cap hit of over $14 million if the Panthers moved on from him. This is a contract that is going in the wrong direction. It will be interesting to see if he can turn things around in 2019, now that he is healthy heading into the season.