OFFICIAL NEWS: Panthers sign Replacement for the re-sign of Sam Franklin….

Sam Franklin of the Panthers will re-sign.

The Panthers will make headlines today for another trade, but today they also kept one of their best players on special teams. Sam Franklin, a safety and key member of the special team, is being re-signed by the Panthers, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. The veteran will be under contract for a year.

Franklin joined Carolina as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after graduating from Temple, and he has been a member of the team ever since. During his first four seasons in the league, he had a sporadic defensive role, starting just nine out of 64 games. Despite this, he has been able to have an impact on special teams, averaging over 270 ST snaps in those four years.

In fact, in 2023, the 28-year-old played in a career-high 289 defensive snaps and finished with a career-high 30 tackles. In addition, he caught his first interception of the game and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown.

Franklin could not have the same opportunities on defense in 2024, even though he will still play a big part on special teams. Last season, the safety mostly played when Vonn Bell and Xavier Woods weren’t in the starting lineup. Bell’s departure has allowed the team to add Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott through free agency, which has forced Franklin back to the bottom of the depth chart.