The Viking Age
FanSided

5 forgotten former members of the Minnesota Vikings – Part 2

By Nik Edlund

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 07: John Carlson #89 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the football during the game against the Washington Redskins on November 7, 2013 at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 07: John Carlson #89 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the football during the game against the Washington Redskins on November 7, 2013 at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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John Carlson #89 of the Minnesota Vikings (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
John Carlson #89 of the Minnesota Vikings (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

TE John Carlson

John Carlson was a fairly highly touted prospect when he entered the 2008 NFL Draft. The Seahawks took him in the second round, and he proved worthy of being such a high choice. The former Golden Domer racked up 55 receptions for 627 yards and five touchdowns his rookie season.

Carlson entered free agency after he missed his fourth year with the Seahawks, because of surgery required to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. The loss of a season and that scary injury didn’t worry the Minnesota Vikings one bit. They signed him to a pretty lucrative deal, which ended up being for five years and $25 million.

Carlson played for the Vikings for two seasons, 2012 and 2013. He didn’t quite live up to that lofty contract as he had just 40 receptions, 387 yards, and one touchdown in his Vikings’ stint. In his defense, Carlson did battle a recurring knee injury while he was in Minnesota, but will still go down as one of the bigger free agent busts the team ever signed.

After his brief and forgettable time with the Vikings, Carlson played one year in Arizona before retiring early at the age of 30.

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