Carolina Panthers QB Kyle Allen is the lowest-paid NFL starter. He deserves a raise.
Editor’s note: Based on Kyle Allen’s play so far against Atlanta, I’m suddenly rethinking this week’s Panthers Tracks newsletter. Thanks, Kyle.
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Kyle Allen is underpaid.
Say whatever you want of his skill set or whether the Panthers are better off next season with him or Cam Newton at quarterback — there are plenty of valid arguments on either side — but there’s no debating he’s worth more to the franchise than the league-minimum $495,000 salary he’s making this year. The man is 5-2 this year (6-2 in his career) and the only Carolina quarterback to win a game since Nov. 4, 2018.
Of the 51 NFL quarterbacks who have started a game this season, only one is making less than Allen (Delvin Hodges of the Steelers, $436,765, one start), according to Over The Cap. Even Luke Falk, who the Jets released after two disastrous starts (no touchdowns, three interceptions, two fumbles), made a better salary.
Unlike Falk, who was drafted in the sixth round in 2018, the Jaguars’ Gardner Minshew ($542,904, sixth round of 2019 draft) and the Broncos’ Brandon Allen ($645,000, sixth round, 2016), Kyle Allen is at a disadvantage with his salary thanks to being undrafted and still not having accrued a full NFL season.
The Panthers have no obligation to pay Allen more than the league minimum again next season — they retain his rights through the end of 2020 and can franchise tag him after — but Carolina should bump his salary. Other Panthers players making the identical salary? Jordan Kunaszyk, Christian Miller, Reggie Bonnafon, Cole Luke and Joey Slye (he probably deserves more, too).
With how much movement there has been this year among starting quarterbacks thanks to injuries, I decided to break down the salary hierarchy, week-to-week, across all 32 NFL teams.
Mobile app users, to see the full animated version of this graphic that shows the change every week, click here.
Game time
Falcons at Panthers
- When: 1 p.m. Sunday
- Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
- Watch: Fox | Listen: 1110 AM
Injury update
Carolina Panthers injury report as of Thursday afternoon:
Did not participate: Ross Cockrell (knee), Dennis Daley (groin), Donte Jackson (hip).
Limited participation: None
Full participation: James Bradberry (groin), Brian Burns (wrist), Greg Little (concussion), Kyle Love (shoulder), Christian McCaffrey (foot), Gerald McCoy (knee).
Required reading
+ An inside look at Kyle Allen’s meteoric rise in the NFL and how it happened
+ The secret to Eric Reid’s big season with the Panthers? High-risk, high reward
+ Why the Panthers run defense has been so bad this year (Hint: it’s not the 3-4)
+ Panthers won’t be at Colin Kaepernick’s workout for NFL teams
+ Mailbag: The disappointing case of Matt Paradis, run defense, and Panthers’ salary cap conundrum
This story was originally published November 15, 2019 at 4:00 AM.
