CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Panthers have signed free agent safety Haruki Nakamura to a three-year contract.
Carolina general manager Marty Hurney announced the deal Friday but did not release financial terms of the contract.
The 25-year-old Nakamura has spent four
seasons backing up Ed Reed in Baltimore. He's played in 52 games but
never started on defense. He has 47 career tackles, one forced fumble
and no interceptions.
Hurney says Nakamura "is a very talented
young safety and has played in a lot of different spots on defense with
the Ravens." The GM says he is "very smart" and is an "excellent
special teams player and will help us at safety."
Nakamura could compete for Carolina's
starting free safety job. Sherrod Martin struggled last season with
tackling at the position.
