Panthers sign OLB Luiji Vilain off the practice squad of the Vikings.
The Vikings lose a significant UDFA signing from last season.
The Carolina Panthers have signed OLB Luiji Vilain to their active roster, according to the team.
Vilain, 25, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022, receiving $207,000 guaranteed along with a $20,000 signing bonus, making his total rookie cap cost to $227,000, which was significantly above normal for an undrafted player. Vilain was seen as one of the Vikings’ most important UDFA signings in 2022, with OLB Zach McCloud, who received $250,000 in guaranteed money.
In contrast to McCloud, who was waived on cutdown day, Vilain earned a spot on the 53-man roster in 2022 following a solid showing in training camp. Despite not making the 53-man roster in 2023 under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Luiji Vilain had a great preseason. On 112 total snaps, Luiji Vilain had 8 pressures, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 4 solo tackles in just three preseason games.
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Vilain now joins the Carolina Panthers, who are short on depth at outside linebacker. Aside from top pass rusher Brian Burns, the Panthers are starting 34-year-old Justin Houston, who has only one sack through the first six games of the season. To make matters worse, Yetur Gross-Matos, the team’s third outside linebacker on the depth chart, was recently placed on injured reserve after sustaining a hamstring injury.
Needless to say, Vilain has a lot of chances to make an immediate impression for the Panthers. It’s most likely the reason he opted to leave despite receiving a substantial sum of money from the Vikings to be on the practice squad. Personally, I would have preferred to see Vilain get more reps than struggling OLB Patrick Jones, but Jones appears to have solidified himself as the fourth pass rusher on the depth chart.
I wish you the best of luck, Luiji!
