Jon Beason to be traded to New York Giants, pending physical

Jon Beason will be a member of the New York Giants, provided he can pass a physical. An early report out of Charlotte was corroborated by Jay Glazer who says Beason will be traded for a late-round pick.

Beason lost his job at outside linebacker to Chase Blackburn and never seemed himself after tearing his Achilles in 2010. In three years he has totaled just 43 tackles in eight games, after a run of four-straight 100 tackle seasons -- including being named to two All Pro teams.

There is no guarantee the trade will go through. Beason is still recovering from major injury and could end up like Jeff Otah, whose trade was voided in 2012. It's hard to imagine a healthy Beason being edged out by Chase Blackburn, which makes tomorrow morning more important to watch.

The shift fully transitions the defense to Luke Kuechly's leadership. This move was set in motion when Beason was injured last year and matured when Kuechly earned the captain's patch this summer.

It's a mutually beneficial trade for both sides. The Giants can take a swing in the dark for some defensive help while the Panthers can move forward with a more reliable outside linebacker. Beason would have left Charlotte in January regardless of what happened in 2013.

Here's to Beast. He'll be remembered as one of the classiest players in Charlotte and his presence will be sorely missed.

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