The Carolina Panthers have signed free agent wide receiver Russell Shepard to a three-year contract, the team announced Friday.

Shepard, 6-1 and 195 pounds, comes to Carolina after four seasons (2013-16) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2016, Shepard played in all 16 games with four starts for the Buccaneers, totaling career highs of 23 receptions, 341 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. He also rushed once for nine yards.

Shepard was selected as the Buccaneers special teams captain in 2015 and 2016 and has 31 career tackles, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery on special teams.

Shepard entered the NFL in 2013 with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent from LSU. He was waived in the final roster cutdown and claimed by Tampa Bay. He has played in 57 regular season games with six starts in his career with totals of 30 receptions, 432 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.