A familiar cat appears to be staying up north.
According to ESPN senior reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Buffalo Bills are re-signing safety Sam Franklin Jr. to a three-year deal worth up to $7.5 million. Franklin played his first five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers, a run that ended ahead of the 2025 campaign.
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Franklin’s pro tenure began in 2020, when the Panthers signed the University of Temple product as an undrafted free agent. He’d reconnect with then-head coach Matt Rhule, who led the Owls in Franklin’s very first collegiate season.
Over his stay in Carolina, Franklin recorded 105 combined tackles, a sack, an interception, a touchdown return and a forced fumble. The majority of his snaps (62.9 percent) came on special teams, where his play helped earn him a nod as a team captain in 2024.
He’d appear in all 19 games, including two playoff contests, for the Bills in 2025.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Former Panthers S Sam Franklin Jr. strikes multi-year deal with Bills
