Carolina Panthers re-sign defensive tackle Kyle Love, add safety Michael Griffin

The Carolina Panthers made a couple of roster moves Tuesday to address their defensive depth, signing one player who’s familiar with their system and another who has some learning to do.

The Panthers signed defensive tackle Kyle Love, who was with the team throughout the preseason, and former Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin to one-year deals.

Terms were not disclosed.

To make room on the roster, Carolina placed defensive end Ryan Delaire on injured reserve with a knee issue and waived safety Marcus Ball, who was signed from the practice squad last week.

Love is well-versed with defensive coordinator Sean McDermott’s scheme, having spent parts of the past two seasons with the Panthers.

Griffin, 31, a two-time Pro Bowler during nine seasons in Nashville, wasted no time diving into the defensive playbook.

Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Griffin said he was meeting with the Panthers coaches.

“Yeah,” Griffin said, “I’m kind of busy.”

The Panthers flirted with several veteran safeties last month before signing Stevie Brown, who was cut two days later. They hoped backup free safety Dean Marlowe would recover from his partially torn hamstring.

Instead, Marlowe aggravated the injury against San Francisco in Week 2 and went on IR.

Griffin was the Titans’ first-round pick out of Texas in 2007, and went to his first Pro Bowl the following season after pulling down a career-high seven interceptions.

Griffin was a fixture in the Titans’ secondary, starting at least 14 games every year after his rookie season and compiling 25 interceptions.

But Griffin lost a step in recent years, ranking among the league’s worst safeties in 2015, according to Pro Football Focus.

He signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Minnesota during the offseason. But he left the Vikings’ third exhibition with a back issue and was later placed on IR.

Griffin reached an injury settlement with the team Sept. 7 and was released.

Meanwhile, Love returns less than a month after being released in last roster cutdown.

With first-round pick Vernon Butler out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain, the Panthers needed a player they could plug into their defensive tackle rotation immediately.

Love joined the Panthers late in 2014 and played in 15 games during the Super Bowl season of ’15. He started two games and finished with three sacks and 19 tackles.

Recent addition Lavar Edwards can also play defensive tackle, but had his first career sack against the Vikings while lined up at end.

Butler was injured in Sunday’s loss to Minnesota and was in a cast Monday at Bank of America Stadium.

He is expected to be sidelined a minimum of several weeks, although high ankle sprains often can linger. Panthers cornerback Bene’ Benwikere missed six games with a high ankle sprain two years ago.

Delaire had two sacks against Tampa Bay last season in his first game with the Panthers, but hasn’t done much since. He was inactive for last week’s game against the Vikings.

Ball raised his fist and pointed his index finger skyward in a “one love” gesture before the loss to Minnesota, then played 20 special teams snaps in the game. The team is interested in bringing him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers, according to a source.

This story was originally published September 27, 2016 at 12:58 PM with the headline "Carolina Panthers re-sign defensive tackle Kyle Love, add safety Michael Griffin."