Panthers comfortable with Klein if Kuechly can’t go

Carolina Panthers linebacker A.J. Klein has started 10 games, had a 10-tackle performance last year at Baltimore and dropped San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick for a 14-yard loss on his first career sack.

So Klein is far from an NFL newbie.

But when you’re replacing a two-time Pro Bowler who has led the NFL in tackles in two of the past three seasons, it’s kind of a big deal.

Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol and his status for Sunday’s game against Houston remains uncertain. But signs seem to be pointing toward Kuechly missing his first NFL start.

Kuechly has yet to practice this week, and Panthers coach Ron Rivera has said repeatedly he won’t jeopardize Kuechly’s long-term health.

It has been business as usual this week for Klein, who, like Kuechly, is a game film junkie. That said, Klein understood why there was a crowd of reporters gathered around his locker Thursday afternoon.

“You’re talking about probably the best defensive player in the NFL, was Defensive Player of the (Year) two years ago, now the highest-paid (middle) linebacker in NFL history. He’s that for a reason. He’s the best linebacker in the NFL,” Klein said.

“But the opportunity for me to be able to learn from him for these last two years has helped me. It’s going to help me on Sunday.”

Klein, 24, has been a special teams player and reserve linebacker since the Panthers took him in the fifth round of the 2013 draft. Klein, with Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander, was the Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year at Iowa State as a junior in 2011.

But he had the misfortune of joining a Panthers team that had Thomas Davis and Kuechly entrenched at linebacker, and had picked up veteran free agent Chase Blackburn the same year Klein arrived.

Klein has played well when called upon. He had six tackles and the sack of Kaepernick in a win at San Francisco in his first career start.

He was a starter at the end of last season until a hip injury knocked him out of the final two regular-season games and the playoffs.

When Kuechly went down with a head injury late in the first half last week at Jacksonville, Klein came in, made a tackle on his first defensive snap and finished with six stops.

Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said he’d run into Klein in the film room a couple of nights last week, and knew he’d be prepared.

“He puts the time in. He handled that situation with the utmost class,” McDermott said. “He’s a true professional and he earned every amount of success he had.”

The first thing Rivera and several players mentioned about Klein this week is his intelligence. Backup safety Colin Jones said Klein knows where he’s supposed to be against any offensive alignment.

That’s the result of Klein’s film study. Klein says he watches tape on his iPad at home, but likes to stay at the stadium some nights because the game tapes are more accessible on the team’s computer system.

Klein started digging into game tapes while at Iowa State, a product of the position he plays.

“At the linebacker spot, we have to quarterback the defense. You have to know the ins-and-outs of the scheme and what’s going on,” he said. “You’re in the middle of everything, so you have to be prepared. And to be prepared, you’ve got to put in extra time.”

Klein, who knows all three linebacker positions, says he didn’t feel threatened when the Panthers drafted two linebackers this year, including Shaq Thompson in the first round. In fact, he wasn’t even watching the draft.

After he learned the Panthers drafted Thompson and David Mayo, and picked up linebacker Jason Trusnik in free agency, Klein said he knew he’d have to work that much harder.

“It’s a league where they’re going to try to bring in new guys,” Klein said. “If you don’t perform you’re not going to be here.”

Klein’s sure tackling at Iowa State caught the eye of Rivera, the former Bears linebacker who gives defensive prospects one of three tackling descriptions: hit and wrap, hit and grab or hang on.

Klein was in the first category.

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