The following 23 players with expiring contracts will become free agents if they are not signed to contract extensions or tendered contracts prior to the start of the new league year on March 9.
Among the unrestricted free agents are four key contributors on the defensive line: defensive tackle Kawann Short and defensive ends Mario Addison, Charles Johnson and Wes Horton.
Offensively, wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. and offensive tackle Mike Remmers are two noteworthy UFAs.
Unrestricted free agents have four or more accrued seasons in the NFL, restricted free agents have three accrued seasons, and exclusive rights free agents have two or fewer accrued seasons. The Panthers can tender a contract and then match any offer made by another team to their restricted free agents, while exclusive rights free agents will either be offered and accept a contract from the Panthers or not be offered a contract and become a free agent.
| UNRESTRICTED | RESTRICTED | EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS | |||
| POS | PLAYER | POS | PLAYER | POS | PLAYER |
| DE | Mario Addison | WR | Brenton Bersin | DT | Chas Alecxih |
| WR | Ted Ginn, Jr. | WR | Philly Brown | C | Tyler Larsen |
| S | Michael Griffin | WR | LaRon Byrd | P | Michael Palardy |
| DE | Wes Horton | LB | Ben Jacobs | ||
| DE | Charles Johnson | G | Andrew Norwell | ||
| CB | Leonard Johnson | ||||
| S | Colin Jones | ||||
| LB | A.J. Klein | ||||
| DT | Kyle Love | ||||
| OT | Mike Remmers | ||||
| G | Chris Scott | ||||
| DT | Kawann Short | ||||
| C | Ryan Wendell | ||||
| RB | Fozzy Whittaker | ||||
| CB | Teddy Williams | ||||
