CHARLOTTE – The Carolina Panthers are coming off their bye week and moving towards their week five match-up with the New York Giants. Some news and notes from Wednesday’s practice.

• Torrey Smith may have been the loudest voice lobbying for the team to sign Eric Reid last week
• Tight end Greg Olsen continues his rehab for a broken foot
• Punter Michael Palardy signed a three-year contract extension with the team on Tuesday

PANTHER PLAYERS EMBRACE REID

Torrey Smith may have been the loudest voice lobbying for the team to sign Eric Reid last week, and Smith’s voice continues to support his new—and former—teammate.

Reid signed as an unrestricted free agent, after he was not re-signed by San Francisco. He joined former teammate Colin Kaepernick in kneeling during the national anthem, a move which Reid believes led to him not signing a contract with another club this off-season.

Now in Panthers blue, Smith continued his support of Reid as a player, and a person.

“Eric would have been a great fit in any locker room,” Smith told reporters Wednesday.  “I think a lot of people view it as a distraction but the only distraction is when y’all ask questions.  He’t not out there on the field, they give him the coverage and he’s taking a knee.  That’s not how this thing works.  I don't care if he takes a knee or not this week," said Smith "He does whatever he feels in his heart. Eric’s gonna be ready to play ball this weekend, and he’s gonna help the Carolina Panthers win.”

Reid practiced with the team for the first time on Monday, with head coach Ron Rivera telling reporters that Reid saw approximately 60 percent of the defensive snaps in practice.  The hope is to get Reid game ready for Sunday.

OLSEN INCREASING WORKOUTS

Tight end Greg Olsen continues his rehab for a broken foot and the improvements are noticeable.

“He was running routes, too, as well, so that was good to see,” Rivera said Wednesday.  “We had (practice squad quarterback) Connor Cook throwing routes to him and he looked good.  They also had him (Olsen) hitting the sled, so we’ll see how he responds tomorrow morning and hopefully it will be good.”

Olsen suffered a fracture in his foot in the season opening win against the Dallas Cowboys.  The team chose not to place him on injured reserve, in the hopes he could return sooner than the minimum of eight weeks.

PALARDY HAPPY WITH EXTENSION

Punter Michael Palardy signed a three-year contract extension with the team on Tuesday. The deal, reportedly worth $7.25 million dollars with a $2 million dollar signing bonus, will keep him with the Panthers through the 2020 season.

Not long ago, Palardy was battling just to make an NFL roster. Now, he has inked a deal to stay with a club that recognizes his abilities.

“It puts things into perspective, and you start to realize why you put in those two-and-a-half years worth of work,” Palardy said Wednesday. “Being cut so many times, and having so many workouts. I think for my family, that’s the most important thing, to create a life for them that I didn’t have as a kid or my wife didn’t have when she was a kid.”

Palardy set a franchise record in 2017 with his 42.4-yard net punting average to go along with his 46.0 gross punting average. Palardy tied for third in the NFL for fewest touchbacks (4) among qualified punters, while landing 25 punts inside the 20.