The Pittsburgh Steelers lost veteran free agent wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery to the Carolina Panthers on Thursday and now we are starting to hear the details of the contract that he has now signed.
According to David Newton of ESPN.com, Cotchery signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Panthers and a majority of that money will come in 2014, the first year of the deal.
If Newton’s report is correct, you can’t blame Cotchery for leaving Pittsburgh. This will more than likely be the final contract of his career and the Steelers weren’t going to be able to pay him that much money in 2014.
In addition to the money, Cotchery will more than likely open the season as a starter for the Panthers, who lost all of their experienced wide receivers during the first week of free agency.
Had he stayed in Pittsburgh, Cotchery more than likely would have started the season as the No. 3 wide receiver and asked to groom his replacement as the season progressed.
