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A lot of times it feels like Carolina Panthers fans long for the days of Mike Minter at safety. It's a position the organization has historically placed little value in. Minter is the peak of that position in the annals of Panthers history, and for good reason.

The Panthers drafted Minter in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He slotted in as a backup behind veteran Pat Terrell for the first five games of his rookie season before eventually taking over the starting gig. He would not relinquish that starting spot for the next ten years.

Minter was a standout performer as a rookie, totaling 83 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries. His second season was derailed by a staph infection, but that was essentially the last thing that would keep Minter off the field for a very long time. He missed two games at the start of 2001, meaning he started 126 of 128 Panthers games between 1999 and 2006. Whenever he was on the field, he combined an intimidating physical presence over the middle of the field and around the line of scrimmage with the play making instincts to create turnovers. He finished his career with 17 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, and 11 fumble recoveries. And his turnovers were more than changes of possession. He had a knack for picking up big yards on returns, He averaged nearly 25 yards per interception return and ran four of them back for touchdowns.