Former 49ers safety Eric Reid finally has found a new team, signing Thursday with the Carolina Panthers after lingering six months on the free-agent market.
The 49ers, it turns out, wanted him, too. Amid injuries to starting safeties Jaquiski Tartt and Adrian Colbert, the 49ers pursued a one-year deal with Reid earlier this week, a league source confirmed.
Reid, as he waited for his next job, joined Colin Kaepernick in May by filing a grievance against the NFL over alleged collusion, claiming owners were keeping them out of the league based on their social activism and kneeling protests during the national anthem since 2016.
Reid had taken a visit in the spring to the Cincinnati Bengals, where it was reported they rebuffed signing him when he declined to state how he might act during the anthem. Kaepernick has not signed or even worked out for a team since opting in March 2017 to void his 49ers contract.
Several players around the league responded to Reid's signing with applause through social media, including Kaepernick, who tweeted: "Congrats 2 my brother @e _ reid35, all pro safety who should have been signed the 1st day of free agency, who has signed a football contract. He was the 1ST person 2 kneel alongside me. Eric is a social justice warrior, continues to support his family. and communities in need."
Reid signed a one-year with the Panthers. Financial terms were not immediately known. The Panthers (2-1) are idle this week and next play Oct. 7 against the New York Giants.
Reid, 26, played the previous five seasons with the 49ers and was their 2013 first-round draft pick. Coach Kyle Shanahan has said the team would have welcomed Reid back but didn't think he was interested in playing a backup role at a minimum salary.
Meanwhile, the 49ers' Tartt and Colbert are injured and did not practice Wednesday. Tartt landed a contract extension this spring as the 49ers committed to him rather than Reid. Colbert, a seventh-round draft pick last year, plays free safety, which is where Reid began his career and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed earlier this season the 49ers did reach out to Reid, although no formal offer was made.
"If any really good player wants to come in here on a minimum deal, and have a good player to be a backup, that'd be unbelievable," Shanahan said then. "I don't think that's what Eric wants. I told you the reason we decided to go that direction is we made a tough decision but had to do it. We went with Tartt."
Former 49ers teammate Torrey Smith is now a wide receiver on the Carolina Panthers and he campaigned this week for them to sign Reid.
"Eric Reid is a Pro-Bowl caliber safety, 26-years old with a first-round pedigree," Smith told the Charlotte Observer. "And he's one of the best men that I know. I know that teams obviously have to be interested in him, and honestly, with our injuries I hope he ends up here.
"I know how he is, his talent. If it's something where (general manager Marty Hurney or coach Ron Rivera) come and talk to me about him, I'll be glad to talk about him as a player and as a person. He's one of the best men that I've been around. I hope that's something that can happen for us, because I know with the injuries that we have he could help this team."
Hurney agreed, issuing this statement to the Panthers website: "Eric has been a starting safety in the NFL and has played at a high level througout his career. After we put safety Da'Norris Searcy on injured reserve, Ron and I discussed our options and Eric was at the top of our list. He is a physical safety with good ball skills and play-making ability."
