Seven hours after he was named Sporting News' NFL executive of the year, Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman made the type of move that helped earn him the honor.

The Panthers on Monday signed safety Trenton Robinson to a one-year deal.

Like most of Gettleman's free agent additions, Robinson isn't a guy who'll excite the fan base. He was a special teams regular the past three years in Washington, and that will probably be his main role with the Panthers. He'll also get a chance to compete with Tre Boston at strong safety.

A 49ers' 6th-round pick in 2012, Robinson's started eight games and grabbed two interceptions in his four-year career. The 5-foot-9, 195-pounder made seven of those starts last year when he emerged from a backup role. Robinson's season ended early in December when he was waived/injured with a hamstring pull.