The 3 Former Vikings Currently Employed by the Carolina Panthers
The Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers are set to square off in Week 4, with kickoff scheduled for 12 PM on Sunday, October 1st.
Currently, both teams find themselves in 0-3 holes and are hoping to begin digging themselves out this weekend with a win.
Vikings fans tuning into this game will get a chance to see a few familiar faces on the Panthers sidelines. Currently, Carolina employs 3 former Vikings on their roster. Heading into this Week 4 matchup, here is a look at those former Vikings who have found their way to the Panthers.
3 Former Vikings Employed by the Panthers
WR Adam Thielen
When thinking of NFL underdog stories, Adam Thielen is one of the first players to come to mind. After spending his collegiate days in D-II with the Minnesota State Mavericks, Thielen signed with the Vikings in 2012 as an undrafted free agent.
Eventually, Thielen would work his way from occasionally seeing special teams snaps to becoming one of the most prolific red zone receiver in the NFL. Over his 10 seasons in Minnesota, Thielen recorded a grand total of 535 receptions for 6682 yards and 55 TDs. He ranks third in both receptions and receiving TDs in all of Vikings franchise history.
This offseason, the Vikings released Thielen, and he signed with the Panthers. Through three games, he has recorded 20 receptions for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns, proving he can still hold a role in an NFL offense.
WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
The Vikings drafted Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and there was a portion of time where he was believed to carry a big role with the team in the future. During his rookie season, the Iowa product totaled 5 receptions for 116 yards and 2 TDs, with three of those catches coming in Week 18 against the Bears for 103 yards and a score.
However, Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah quickly purged the Vikings roster of many 2021 Draft picks prior to the 2022 season, and Smith-Marsette was one of the players to be let go. Since then, he has spent time in Chicago, Kansas City, and now Carolina.
This season, Smith-Marsette has carved out a role for himself as the punt returner for the Panthers, with 7 returns for a total of 26 yards. A modest total, to be sure, but it would make too much sense for him to break off a big return against his former team.
S Xavier Woods
The odds of Xavier Woods playing this weekend aren’t very high as he is working through a hamstring injury that knocked him out of Carolina’s Week 3 game against the Seahawks. Nonetheless, he is yet another former Viking who has found his way to the Panthers.
Woods’ sole season with the Vikings came during 2021 when he started all 17 games at safety, largely playing alongside Harrison Smith. He recorded 108 tackles, a sack, 10 passes defended, and three interceptions for the Vikings.
Following that 2021 season, Woods joined the Panthers where he has once again maintained a starting role. Hopefully, the 28-year-old safety is able to fully recover from his injury and return to the field for Carolina later on down the road.
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.