Panthers’ Reid: New contract more proof owners colluded

CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Eric Reid has signed a three-year contract worth more than $22 million with the Carolina Panthers, a deal the safety believes is additional proof that NFL owners conspired to keep him out of the league last season.

Reid said Monday he believes he got “fair market value” after making just $1.69 million last season from the Panthers.

“If anything, it proves my point from last year,” Reid said. “I didn’t sign until the (fourth) week and did for almost the league minimum. And this year I signed a more substantial contract. And nothing has changed. I’m still the same player.”

Reid still has a collusion case pending against NFL owners, alleging that he wasn’t signed last offseason as a direct result of his decision to kneel for the national anthem alongside former teammate Colin Kaepernick in protest of social and racial injustice. — The Associated Press