On Monday morning, Panthers safety Mike Adams took to Instagram to tell fans that he won’t be returning to the team. However, the veteran hopes to continue playing in the 2019 season. 
“This great city and organization showed me nothing but love while I was here!” Adams wrote. “I have a lot more ball left so I plan on playing this year! I just hope the young boys have learned as much from me as I did from them!”
Adams, who turns 38 in March, has been a starter for the majority of his career. He’s been first-string for every Panthers game over the last two years and finished out the 2018 season with 75 tackles, six passes defensed, and three interceptions.
However, the Panthers are looking to get younger in the secondary and the advanced metrics indicate that Adams may have lost a step in 2018. Last year, he earned a 51.4 overall score from Pro Football Focus – his lowest since his rookie season in 2006 – and graded out as just the No. 86 overall safety in the NFL out of 93 qualified players.
Adams, and the league’s other free agents, can officially sign with clubs beginning on March 13.