AP

The Panthers brought Charles Tillman this offseason because they needed the help at cornerback, but also because they wanted him to share what he’s seen in 13 years in the league with a young defense.

But what he saw when he walked in there looked very familiar.

Via David Newton of ESPN.com, Tillman said new Panthers teammate Luke Kuechly was the “same if not better” than former Bears star Brian Urlacher.

“Brian was really great in his prime,” Tillman said. “Father Time catches up to us all. Right now Luke is very young, very active and very explosive. He has a lot of power and speed and reminds me a lot of Brian back in the ’03, ’04, ’05 and ’06 era.”

Urlacher was a generational player, defining what it was to be a Bear for a decade. Kuechly is still young in his career, but has already earned a defensive player of the year award himself.

So Tillman said it was an easy choice for him to join the Panthers, who have ranked in the top 10 the last three years.

“I saw them on film and in the playoffs and it drew me in,” he said. “I wanted be a part of this defense. There is something special here. We are still forming and creating our identity, but I want to be a part of it.”

And having a foundation player like Urlacher or Kuechly in the middle is a big part of what it takes to have a special defense, which may have helped draw Tillman in as well.