Carolina Panthers: Three players with most to prove in 2019

Eric Reid

Eric Reid undoubtedly has a lot to prove. Although he performed well during his time with the Panthers last season, something new is in play: a three-year contract extension. Now, he has to show that he can live up to it. He was certainly one of the Carolina Panthers sound defensive players in a year where defense was not the name of the game for the team, as they struggled.

Reid was perhaps one of the bright spots on that side of the football. He excelled the most in coverage, as he recorded a 67.7 rating per statistics from Pro football Focus. Tackling was an issue for him. His 60.8 rating was his lowest out of any defensive categories. However, he finished seventh on the team with 54 tackles which  admittedly is not necessarily ideal for a safety. Nevertheless, he showed that he was willing to hang in there and make plays.

Now, he will have to come into training camp and prove that he can play at an elite level for an entire season. He should be able to stabilize the secondary, and I would not be surprised to see him go back to his All-Pro form from his days in San Francisco. He needs to prove that he can be an elite leader of the defense and continue to be dependable. If he struggles, that could be a red flag for the team moving forward.