CHARLOTTE, NC – In their ongoing attempt to find an intermediate defender to replace pro-Bowl perennial Luke Kuechly, the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday accepted a two-year deal with Denzel Perryman, his agency confirmed.
The former Los Angeles Chargers defender (5 feet-11, 24 pounds) will replace Tahir Whitehead, who was signed for a one-year contract outside of last season after Kuechly retired after just eight NFL seasons.
Whitehead’s inconsistency and inability to play from one line to another – as Kuechly did – led him to start only nine of the 14 games he played. It was considered consumable after the season.
Perryman, selected in the second round in Miami in 2015, had 349 attacks, five sacks and three interceptions in six seasons with the Chargers. He received a two-year extension of $ 12 million in 2019, but chose to explore the market this season.
Known for his toughness and approach, Perryman is also versatile. One of the highlights of his career was a deep midfield interception against Atlanta in 2016.
Perryman, represented in negotiations by Agency 1 Sports, is the third player with whom Panther has reached agreements in the free agency. The other two are former Dallas striker Cam Erving and New York Jets goalie Pat Elflein.