CHARLOTTE – Linebacker Chase Blackburn, a longtime special teams standout who made a special play in the New York Giants' last Super Bowl victory, will try to do more of the same as the latest addition to the Carolina Panthers roster.
The Panthers signed the unrestricted free agent to provide depth and experience to their linebacking corps. Blackburn started 15 games at middle linebacker for the Giants last season and recorded 97 tackles after starting a total of 21 games in his first seven seasons in New York and totaling 129 tackles.
Undrafted out of Akron in 2005, Blackburn led the Giants in special teams tackles each of his first six NFL seasons. The Giants didn't re-sign him following the 2010 season, and he remained unsigned until the team brought him back for the final five games. He intercepted Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers in his first game back, then he helped turn the tide in Super Bowl XLVI with a fourth-quarter interception of New England quarterback Tom Brady.
Blackburn will join a linebacker group that features Luke Kuechly - who led the NFL in tackles as a rookie in 2012 – and veterans Jon Beason and Thomas Davis. The Panthers re-signed reserve linebacker and special teams stalwart Jordan Senn before he became an unrestricted free agent but released James Anderson, who was a starter the past three seasons in part because of injuries to Beason and Davis.
