In the mind of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, ask not what newly signed safety Eric Reid might or might not do before Sunday's game against the Giants, but instead what he'll do during it.
"I can't speak on, and I won't speak on anything other than him being here as a Carolina Panther," Newton said Wednesday. "I think it was the right move, being that (starting safety Da'Norris Searcy) went down.
"He's a great player. We have great players in this locker room, and we've accepted him with open arms. ... For him to be on our team is a great thing."
Reid was the first player to join former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 in his protest of social injustice and police brutality, the demonstration of which was to take a knee during the national anthem before games.
That action ultimately drew international attention _ both positive and negative.
Reid said this week he hasn't decided whether he will protest before the game, or what form that will take. In Newton's mind, Reid is a Panther. So Newton said that as his teammate, he has his back.
"Everything outside of football, I'm pretty sure as the teammate that I've always been, I'm going to stand by him," Newton said. He added later in his press conference that by no means did he consider Reid's off-the-field views and actions "a distraction."
"I don't know where you keep getting this from," Newton laughed. "Whatever happened in the past, that happened. We know he's going to be an impact player for us, and that's all I care about. All of that other stuff, y'all can write.
"Listen. I know Eric has played in the league long enough, and we got a steal, I feel. What he does outside of football, I am going to stand by him and be with him on that. But what he does on the football field is going to impact this team. And I understand that, and I know that."
Receiver Torrey Smith, who advocated for Reid to be signed by Carolina after the Panthers placed Searcy on injured reserve, said the conversation about potential protests hasn't even existed in the locker room since Reid joined the team.
"No one cares. It's not like he's out there, coach calls Cover 3 or man-to-man, and he's going to take a knee and let his guy go run by him," laughed Smith.
"If that were the issue, then it would be a problem. But that's not the way it works. Eric knows what is best for Eric, and what he needs to do. And we all understand what he's fighting for. So if that's something he decides to do, it's what he decides to do. But that has absolutely nothing to do with this locker room, the way we approach the game, the way we prepare _ which is to go out there and win."
And in the minds of the Panthers, Reid gives them even more of an edge.
So far this week, teammates and coaches have gushed about Reid's ability, size and fit in the Panthers' system.
Reid is bigger than a prototypical safety at 6-foot-1 and 217 pounds, but he's fast, with long arms. So he lends the type of versatility the Panthers love in their defensive backs and linebackers. He'll play deep, he'll feign coverage in the post against receivers, and he'll load the box to support the run defense. He can even play the big nickel.
"He is everything that is advertised, and we need him to be him," said Newton. "Simply nothing more, nothing less. The energy that he plays with, the physicality that he brings, we need that."
Reid signed last Thursday and will likely start against the New York Giants on Sunday. As Carolina game plans for prolific, versatile back Saquon Barkley and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Reid could help them show different defensive looks to counter the Giants' playmakers.
Newton believes the Panthers got a leg up on other teams in the NFC South by signing Reid.
Newton's hometown team, the Atlanta Falcons, could have used Reid after placing starting safety Ricardo Allen on injured reserve last month. But coach Dan Quinn said the team would not pursue a starting-caliber safety such as Reid.
"I know there's a lot of teams, that I think if Eric was still a free agent, would love to have him," Newton grinned slyly.
"I don't need to say any teams. ... But I'm glad we got him."
