The Panthers are moving on from another veteran defensive player.
Eric Reid announced on Twitter on Wednesday that he is leaving the organization.
"It's been a pleasure Carolina! I enjoyed my time and the support I received from the fans, media, teammates, and staff there will be remembered," Reid wrote in his tweet. "Looking forward to furthering my career in another city!"
Carolina originally signed Reid during the 2018 season to a one-year contract and re-signed him to a $22 million, three-year contract extension last offseason. The strong safety was scheduled to make $8 million this season and will cost the Panthers $5 million in dead cap space, per Spotrac. They now lead the league in dead cap space with more than $40 million, but that number will continue to change.
The Panthers signed Reid in 2018 amid controversy surrounding his unemployment. The safety is a close friend and former teammate of Colin Kaepernick's and knelt with him in protest of social injustice against minorities in the United States.
Throughout his time in Carolina, Reid remained a vocal part of the locker room, including when Kaepernick had a public workout for all 32 NFL teams in November. He even spoke to team owner David Tepper about potentially signing the free agent quarterback with Cam Newton being placed on injured reserve.
Reid was one of the positives last year on a less-than-stellar defense. He finished the year second on the team with 129 tackles, six passes defensed and five quarterback hits. He set two franchise records this past season, including the most tackles and the most sacks (4.0) by a safety in a single season. His tackles were also the second-most by an safety in the NFL last year (Budda Baker, 147). Part of the reason he finished with so many tackles was because the Panthers had significant issues stopping the run, and rushers would often get to the second-level.
Per Pro Football Focus, Reid led all safeties in 2019 in tackles against the run with 58.
This offseason, he was strongly against the passing of the new collective bargaining agreement for a variety of reasons and shared his thoughts on social media.
His play last year improved from 2018, partly because he had an offseason to learn the team's playbook and have some time to get to know the team. "I said it coming into this season: Being able to have the offseason with the team, learn the playbook, be here for a training camp, continue to learn the plays, I think it's been instrumental to my play so far," Reid told the Observer during the season. "It's just the repetition, the muscle memory. The reps. Things start to come naturally."
The Panthers re-signed free safety Tre Boston on Tuesday to a three-year extension, bringing back a veteran presence in the secondary with cornerback James Bradberry signing with the Giants in free agency. Defensive back Juston Burris from the Browns also signed a two-year deal this week and can be expected to fill Reid's role in the defense.
