Eric Reid signs three-year extension with Panthers

It took Eric Reid until Week 4 of the NFL regular season to find a team that was willing to sign him, but the veteran safety apparently made quite an impression in his brief time with the Carolina Panthers.

On Monday, the Panthers announced that they have signed Reid to a three-year contract extension. The former first-round pick is expected to continue with his starting role going forward.

Michael Silver of NFL.com reports that the deal is worth more than $22 million.

Reid played in 13 games for Carolina in 2018, recording 71 tackles, one interception and five passes defensed. The belief was that his active role in protests during the national anthem and supporting Colin Kaepernick was the reason it took him so long to find work.

Back in November, Reid revealed that he had been selected for random drug testing for the fifth time since he signed with the Panthers on Sept. 27. That led him to conclude that the system “doesn’t feel very random,” which was basically an accusation that the NFL was trying to railroad him. The NFL and NFLPA recently issued a joint statement responding to Reid’s allegation.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera said the team “always knew (Reid) was a solid football player,” and apparently he feels comfortable going forward with him as a big piece of the defense.