CHARLOTTE -- Head coach Ron Rivera confirmed that safety Eric Reid will start against the Giants on Sunday in his Panthers debut.

Reid, who signed a one-year deal last Thursday, practiced with the first-team defense throughout the week. He's picked things up quickly, but football conditioning could be a challenge for someone who hasn't played since 2017.

"We're going to keep an eye on him," Rivera said. "We'll see how he does the first couple series, try and gauge that and go from there. We really don't want to overuse him. We want to be smart about it - we want this for the long haul."

Colin Jones and rookie Rashaan Gaulden could rotate in at Reid's spot depending on how things go.

Reid has been a starter since entering the league as a first-round pick of the 49ers in 2013. His career totals include 318 tackles, 34 passes defensed and 10 interceptions.