SPARTANBURG Haruki Nakamura arrived in Baltimore four years ago just as the Ravens were becoming a perennial playoff team behind a young quarterback and a new head coach.

Nakamura, the free safety who signed with the Carolina Panthers as a free agent, believes his new team is on the cusp of a similar run.

“Once this team gets in there, and once Cam (Newton) gets a taste of being in the playoffs, he’s going to be hooked,” Nakamura said this week. “I don’t want to use this example, but it’s like a drug. You’re constantly thinking, What is it going to take for us to get back there?”

The Ravens advanced to the AFC Championship Game in Nakamura’s rookie season and returned to the playoffs every year since. Baltimore has an energetic coach in John Harbaugh, a solid quarterback in Joe Flacco and a top-5 defense led by linebacker Ray Lewis, a future Hall-of-Famer.

So why would Nakamura leave?

Well, the Ravens also have Ed Reed, who will be headed to the Hall of Fame someday, too. And Reed happens to play Nakamura’s position.

Nakamura, Reed’s backup for four years, said he felt revived coming to training camp with a legitimate chance to be a starter. Nakamura is competing against Sherrod Martin, the fourth-year safety who – with his missed tackles in the open field – was the face of an underachieving defense in 2011.

“Sherrod Martin’s having a great camp. We’re pushing each other really well,” Nakamura said. “I think that’s exactly what the coaches wanted to bring. I’m sure that’s what (general manager) Marty (Hurney) wanted when I came in here. This is only going to improve the football team.”

The Panthers called Nakamura on the first day of free agency, and Nakamura knew Charlotte was where he wanted to be. A month earlier, Nakamura and his wife had gone on a house-hunting visit to Charlotte after targeting it as a potential landing spot.

Nakamura, who could have stayed with Baltimore and also drew interest from Chicago, signed a 3-year, $4.8 million contract with the Panthers, with $1.3 million guaranteed. He and his wife bought a house on Lake Norman, and Nakamura likes the vibe surrounding his new town and team.

“There’s a whole lot of stuff that’s going on here. The city’s excited. The fans, you can feel the energy in them,” Nakamura said. “When you step into this team, it’s a very young team. I can bring a little bit of experience as far as being in the playoffs.”

The Panthers have been rotating Nakamura, Martin and Charles Godfrey at the two safety spots, although Nakamura has taken the first reps at free safety the past three days.

Despite Nakamura’s small stature – he’s 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds – Panthers coach Ron Rivera called him “a physical player who’s a very headsy guy.”

Nakamura had 23 tackles in four years with the Ravens, and was one of their leading special teams tacklers.

But he wanted to be something more.

“When you spend so much time behind somebody and you’re waiting for your chance that never comes ...” Nakamura said. “Coming to a team like this – a young team that’s ready to take the next step and get into the playoffs and win some games – it’s great to be a part of that.”

Martin, a second-round pick in 2009, had a career-high 90 tackles in 2010 in his first season as a starter. That total dropped to 62 last season, when Martin often came away grabbing at air.

“Last year was last year. Good or bad, you put it behind you,” Martin said. “It’s pretty much a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league. You learn from it, good or bad, and you just continue to grow.”

Martin tied Chris Gamble for the team lead with three interceptions, and his fourth-quarter interception of a Curtis Painter pass in the end zone sealed the Panthers’ win at Indianapolis. Martin started camp with a bang last week when he picked off Cam Newton in the first practice.

“The one thing we have seen every day is Sherrod has made a play,” Rivera said. “He’s gotten better and better. I think coaching has helped him an awful lot.”

As he fights to hold on to his starting spot, Martin keeps one of Rivera’s sayings in mind.

“Coach pretty much says, ‘Don’t count your reps, make your reps count,’ ” Martin said. “So when we’re in there, everybody tries to make plays.”