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Former Gamecock WR Damiere Byrd finds new home in NFL

UVA BIO PICby: Mike Uva05/15/24Mike_Uva
Carolina Panthers sign wide receiver Damiere Byrd for 2023 season free agency
Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Former South Carolina wide receiver Damiere Byrd is headed to the nation’s capital.

According to multiple reports, the 31-year-old has agreed to terms on a contract with the Washington Commanders.

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A nine-year NFL veteran, Byrd has caught 130 passes and seven touchdowns during his career. Last year, Byrd spent the majority of the season on two practice squads (Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons) after being released by the Carolina Panthers last August. His lone appearance in 2023 came in Week 9 with the Falcons but he failed to record any stats.

An undrafted free agent in 2015, he spent his first four seasons with the Panthers. Since then, he’s hopped around the league with two stints with both Carolina and Atlanta, as well as spending time with New England, Chicago, and Houston.

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What makes Byrd’s signing intriguing is what he could bring to the table as a returner. With the new NFL kickoff rule, teams are looking at bringing in returners in a way that we haven’t seen in years. In 2017, Byrd set a Panthers franchise record after returning a kick 103 for a touchdown. In his career, he’s returned 29 kickoffs for 466 yards.

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