Ex-49er Eric Reid gets released by Carolina Panthers

FILE – In this Nov. 24, 2019, file photo, Carolina Panthers strong safety Eric Reid (25) waits for a play during the second half at an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, in New Orleans. The Panthers have released Eric Reid just 13 months after giving the veteran safety a three-year, $22 million contract extension. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)Eric Reid, the former 49ers Pro Bowl safety who took a knee to join Colin Kaepernick in protest against social injustices, was surprisingly released Wednesday by the Carolina Panthers.

Reid’s release comes nearly a year after he signed a three-year, $22 million extension with Carolina, which continues its purging as it rebuilds under new…