CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Former San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid was out of football for nine months before signing with the Carolina Panthers last Thursday, so some wondered how quickly he could contribute.
But Reid has impressed teammates and coaches all week with his ability to pick up the team's game plan and his conditioning.
So much so, in fact, that he's earned the start opposite veteran Mike Adams this Sunday against the New York Giants.
Coach Ron Rivera confirmed Reid will start on Friday afternoon.
Reid, 26, spent the weekend of the team's Week 4 bye at the facilities watching film and meeting with coaches to get immersed in the playbook.
Then, in his first practice on Monday, he played 60 percent of the defensive snaps.
Reid's versatility lends well to what Carolina expects from its defensive backs. Reid can play deep and in the post, he can cover and is excellent in defending the run because of his 6-foot-1, 217-pound frame.
In fact, it was against a play-action run called in practice where he has most impressed Rivera this week.
"There was a run fit that we had to have that was actually difficult," said Rivera on Friday afternoon. "It usually takes a while for a guy to get it. He got it right off the bat. ... There are some things that were really leading to (him being ready), so we're pretty excited about that."
The Panthers will keep an eye on Reid throughout the game so as to not risk any injury or overwork him.
"We'll see how he does the first couple of series and use him from there," Rivera said. "We really don't want to overuse him. We have to be smart about it.
"We want him for the long haul, for hopefully all of the games that we play this year."
Ruled out for Sunday's 1 p.m. game is tight end Greg Olsen. Rivera actually ruled Olsen out on Wednesday, but the final injury report of the week made it official.
