Woods recorded 119 total tackles and six passes defended, including three interceptions, across 17 games in 2024. The 29-year-old safety set a new career high in total tackles and tied his personal best in interceptions while appearing in every game for the Panthers in 2024. Woods was one of the few bright spots on Carolina's defense, despite the team allowing the most points in a single season in NFL history. He's now completed the final year of a three-year, $15 million contract he signed with the Panthers in March of 2022, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Expect Woods to be a hot name on the free-agent market for teams in need of a veteran safety.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Xavier Woods news
Other Panthers Players
Team
Carolina Panthers
Birthdate
7/26/1995 (29)
Status
Active
HT/WT
5'11", 200 lbs
Draft Info
2017: Rd 6; Pk (DAL)
Birthplace
Monroe, LA, USA
Position
SAF
College
Louisiana Tech
Experience
8 seasons
Career History
Carolina Panthers
2022-Present
(3 seasons)
Minnesota Vikings
2021-2022
(1 season)
Dallas Cowboys
2017-2021
(4 seasons)
Woods recorded 119 total tackles and six passes defended, including three interceptions, across 17 games in 2024. The 29-year-old safety set a new career high in total tackles and tied his personal best in interceptions while appearing in every game for the Panthers in 2024. Woods was one of the few bright spots on Carolina's defense, despite the team allowing the most points in a single season in NFL history. He's now completed the final year of a three-year, $15 million contract he signed with the Panthers in March of 2022, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Expect Woods to be a hot name on the free-agent market for teams in need of a veteran safety.
Woods finished Sunday's 48-14 loss to Tampa Bay with 12 tackles (six solo). Woods played all 74 defensive snaps Sunday, and his 12 combined tackles were his most in a game in his eight-year NFL career. Despite the loss, Woods' efforts brought him up to 114 combined tackles through 16 games, which surpassed his previous career best from the 2021 campaign with the Vikings (108 combined tackles through 17 regular-season games). Woods will look to add to his total in Carolina's regular-season finale against Atlanta next Sunday.
Woods tallied six tackles (four solo) Sunday in a 36-30 overtime victory against the Cardinals. Woods tied with three other players for third on the Panthers with six stops. The veteran safety has been very consistent throughout the campaign, notching at least five tackles in all but one of his 15 contests. Woods' six stops Sunday moved him up to 102 tackles on the campaign, marking the second time in his eight-year career that he's reached the triple-digit mark during the regular season.
Woods recorded seven total tackles (five solo) and one interception in Sunday's 26-23 overtime loss to the Buccaneers. Woods played 100 percent of the Panthers' defensive snaps for 10th time this season, intercepting Baker Mayfield in the third quarter of Sunday's loss, which set up a 22-yard field goal from Eddy Pineiro. The 29-year-old has stepped up across the Panthers' last three games, recording 23 total tackles and three passes defended, including two interceptions, during that span. He's expected to continue making plays for what appears to be an improving Panthers defense in Week 14, when the team travels to Philadelphia.
Woods recorded eight total tackles (seven solo), including one tackle for loss, and defended one pass in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Chiefs. The veteran safety tied A'Shawn Robinson for the second-most tackles on the Panthers' defense in Sunday's loss, trailing Josey Jewell's nine-stop performance. Woods is on pace for his best season in Carolina, recording 77 total tackles and four passes defended, including two interceptions, through 11 appearances. Expect the 29-year-old to continue starting alongside Jordan Fuller in the Panthers' secondary, serving as one of the team's defensive leaders.
Woods (shoulder) doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Chiefs and is expected to play, David Newton of ESPN.com reports. Woods was limited in practice earlier in the week but is good to go coming out of Carolina's bye. The veteran safety has started all 10 games and played 100 percent of the team's defensive snaps, logging 69 tackles (40 solo) and a pair of interceptions.
Woods (shoulder) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice. The 29-year-old now appears to be dealing with a shoulder issue following the Panthers' Week 11 bye. Woods has appeared in all 10 of Carolina's games this season, recording 69 total tackles and three passes defended, including two interceptions. If he's unable to suit up when the Panthers host the Chiefs in Week 12, expect Lonnie Johnson to serve as Carolina's top free safety.
Woods recorded eight tackles (three solo) and an interception during Sunday's 20-17 overtime win against the Giants. Woods played more than 70 defensive snaps for his third game in a row in Week 10, and he came up with his second pick of the year in a game where Daniel Jones threw two. He's solidly on the IDP map in most formats for the rest of the second half of the year.
Woods recorded seven total tackles (four solo) in Sunday's 40-7 loss to the Commanders. The veteran safety has now accumulated 51 total tackles across the Panthers' first seven games and has 16 more tackles than Carolina's second-leading tackler, Shaq Thompson (Achilles). Woods is on pace for just under 124 total tackles across 17 regular-season games this year, which would surpass his previous best of 108 tackles with the Vikings in 2018. Expect Woods to continue being one of the few bright spots on Carolina's defense ahead of the team's Week 8 matchup against the Broncos.