By Ryan Chell
"The Panthers have really taken one for the NFL...they have paid
Eric Reid to shut up."
"Eric Reid was not very good this year. This dude is overpaid. They just paid him to shut him up." @WhitlockJason believes the Panthers paid Eric Reid so he would drop his collusion case against the NFL pic.twitter.com/HIiucwp8I7
— Speak For Yourself (@SFY)
February 11, 2019 That is what FS1 talking head - and former Charlotte Observer writer - Jason Whitlock said this week on "Speak For Yourself" after the Panthers re-signed the former Pro-Bowl safety Monday to a three-year, 22-million dollar deal.
Reid, 27, finished seventh on the team in tackles with 74 in 2018 and finished with one quarterback sack and interception in 13 games at strong safety for the Panthers.
Reid's signing however came with a lot more attention off the field than it did for his play on Sundays.
Reid is currently suing the NFL for collusion after the former 1st-rd pick claimed that the league's owners conspired to not sign him or his former teammate in Colin Kaepernick to a contract after the 2017 season for continuing to kneel during the National Anthem as a form of non-violent protest to police brutality and racial inequality.
And while Reid continued to take a knee before every Panthers game last season during the National Anthem?
His physicality brought opposing wide receivers to theirs.
So my response to Jason Whitlock saying the Panthers paid Eric Reid to "shut up"?
Maybe look in the mirror, Jason.
They're paying him to "speak up."
Reid returns to a Panthers defense that signed him during their Week 4 bye after the secondary gave up 330 passing yards to Bengals QB Andy Dalton - their second highest total of the season.
After his acqusition, Carolina's secondary only allowed an opposing quarterback to surpass the 300-yard mark twice in his 13 games started the rest of the way.
In one of those games - Carolina's 39-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that began their six-game losing slide - Reid was ejected for a questionable hit on Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger toward the end of the third quarter.
With fellow starter Mike Adams set to be a free agent and turning 38 in March, general manager Marty Hurney and head coach Ron Rivera felt like they needed to bring back Reid to police the center of their defensive backfield.
And with this Panthers team having to replace veteran captains Thomas Davis, Julius Peppers, and center Ryan Kalil this off-season, the Panthers indicated to Reid (as well as the rest of the league and apparently the Jason Whitlock's of the world) with their three year committment how valuable and essential he needs to be in their locker and meeting rooms for the next several years.
Reid no doubt will be an important voice mentoring corners James Bradberry and Donte Jackson - as well as second year safety Rashaan Gaulden.
Not everyone seems to see that though; unfortunately.
"Eric Reid is overpaid," Whitlock continued. "Eric Reid wasn't very good this year. He was ranked the 55th best safety in the league."
With Whitlock firing off PFF numbers and claiming that he watched Panthers games this year "because he likes Cam Newton", he must have been changing the channel every time Michael Palardy punted.
He must not have been paying attention to this battered Panthers defensive unit having to replace its defensive coordinator for a third year in a row and having a rookie playcaller holding the sheet for the Panthers.
Whitlock must not have noticed a front four that produced just 18 sacks from Mario Addison, Kawann Short, Dontari Poe and Julius Peppers.
Pro Football Focus numbers tell a chapter - but not the whole story.
Reid's signing fills a big hole in the Panthers secondary and will allow GM Marty Hurney to look elsewhere in free agency and the draft to improve this football team.
Say what you want about Eric Reid and what he does off the field.
Jason Whitlock certainly did.
But as long as this Panthers team continues to add pieces around Reid, I can't bash this move at all. It's what needed to be done.
Unless you guys want to see more of Colin Jones out there next fall?
I didn't think so.
Now the Panthers can talk to agent Chafie Fields and find the right number for Daryl Williams to come back and protect Cam Newton's right side.
And who knows....maybe with a healthy and upright Cam, maybe we can keep Jason Whitlock's full attention for an entire 60 minutes of Panthers football and have him pay attention to both sides of the ball?
I doubt it.
-Rec Specs
