3 Carolina Panthers Who Could Have a Sneaky Impact in Week 4 vs. Vikings
Josh Frey
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The Vikings head on the road in search of their first victory of the season when they take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 4.
The Panthers are in an interesting spot as a franchise. They drafted Bryce Young with the first overall pick in this spring’s draft, and they seem to be in the midst of a rebuild. However, they brought in a number of veteran free agents this offseason as well to make Young’s transition to the NFL as easy as possible.
However, the Panthers are also sitting at 0-3 through the first three weeks, and just like the Vikings, they are desperate to get their first victory this weekend. In order to get that done, there could be some overlooked players that make an impact. Here is a look at 3 Carolina Panthers who could have a sneaky impact against the Vikings this weekend.
WR Terrace Marshall
Of course, many folks in Minnesota have been talking about this as the Adam Thielen revenge game. The Vikings released the veteran wide receiver this spring, and he opted to sign with the Panthers in free agency.
However, Thielen is not the only receiver looking to make an impact on Sunday. With rookie receiver Jonathan Mingo listed as questionable heading into the weekend, this could open the door for another young receiver, and former collegiate teammate of Justin Jefferson, to get more snaps with the offense.
That player is Terrace Marshall, who was selected by Carolina in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The first two-plus seasons of Marshall’s career have been a bit underwhelming, totaling just 52 receptions for 686 yards and a touchdown over his first 30 career games.
However, Marshall brings great speed and athleticism to the Panthers offense and could be Carolina’s deep-passing threat on Sunday. Keep an eye out for No. 88 tomorrow afternoon.
S Jammie Robinson
Veteran safety Xavier Woods has been ruled out for Sunday’s contest, opening the door for some of the younger defensive backs to play some extra snaps at safety.
One of these safeties is 2023 fifth-round pick Jammie Robinson, who split his time in college at South Carolina and Florida State. Over the course of four years, Robinson totaled 318 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. He was outstanding in pass coverage as well, defending 16 passes and recording 7 interceptions.
Robinson has played two games this season for Carolina, and he has largely been a special teams contributor. Without Woods, though, he could see some more defensive snaps in Week 4.
LB Deion Jones
The Panthers are heading into Sunday a bit banged up at the linebacker position. Shaq Thompson is on injured reserve while starter Frankie Luvu is questionable.
As a result, veteran Deion Jones could get some extra run with Carolina’s defense this weekend. Jones started in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks and recorded four tackles along with an interception.
Jones, a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, spent the majority of his career with the Atlanta Falcons where he was named a Pro Bowler in 2017. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2022. Now, he is in Carolina hoping to contribute towards turning the season around.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.