CHARLOTTE, NC – In its ongoing search to find a central defender to replace Luke Kuechly, perennial Pro Bowl player Carolina Panthers on Wednesday agreed a two-year deal with Denzel Perryman, his agency confirmed.
Former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback (5 feet 11, 24 pounds) will replace Tahir Whitehead, who signed a one-year deal last season after Kuechly retired after just eight seasons in the NFL.
Whitehead’s inconsistency and inability to play from side to side (as Kuechly did) led him to start only nine of the 14 games he played. It was considered dispensable 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. In 2019 he was given a $ 12 million extension for two years, but he chose to explore the market this season.
Known for his toughness and stamina as a striker, Perryman is also versatile. One of the highlights of his career was an interception in midfield against Atlanta in 2016.
Perryman, represented in negotiations by Agency 1 Sports, is the third player with whom the Panthers reached free agency deals. The other two are Cam Erving, a former Dallas offensive lineman, and Pat Elflein guard of the New York Jets.