Minnesota Vikings Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Vikings To Promote OL Hakeem Adeniji

October 5th, 2023 at 12:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

After failing to make the Bengals’ 53-man roster, Hakeem Adeniji quietly caught on with the Vikings’ practice squad. The veteran offensive lineman will have another chance on an active roster soon.

The Vikings are promoting Adeniji to their 53-man squad, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Rather than a gameday elevation, this move will bump the fourth-year blocker to the active roster on a full-time basis. Adeniji has not been a gameday elevation yet this season, but instead of the Vikings going through the process of using elevations to bring him onto the roster, a midweek bump will take place.

Adeniji went from starting in Super Bowl LVI to seeing the Bengals move to replace him during free agency a month later. After the Bengals signed Alex Cappa to replace Adeniji, the former sixth-rounder out of Kansas resurfaced as a starter in the playoffs. Adeniji started in each of Cincinnati’s three playoff games, working as a La’el Collins right tackle replacement on what became a decimated O-line.

Pro Football Focus was not high on Adeniji’s work in either of the past two seasons, and the Bengals moved on ahead of the final season of his rookie contract. The Bengals’ Orlando Brown Jr. signing helped lead Adeniji off the roster. Jonah Williams is now at right tackle in Cincinnati, with D’Ante Smith and Jackson Carman in place as swingmen.

Overall, Adeniji has 15 starts on his NFL resume. He joined Dalton Risner as a late addition for the Vikings, who returned their starting five offensive linemen from last season. Risner has played in Minnesota’s past two games but has not logged an offensive snap with his new team yet. The four-year Broncos starter has considerably more starting experience than Adeniji, though the latter offers more versatility due to his tackle experience. Both will be in place as Vikings backups soon.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/4/23

October 4th, 2023 at 6:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s practice squad moves:

Chicago Bears

Released: S Macon Clark

Denver Broncos

Signed: WR Michael Bandy

Houston Texans

Signed: DT Taylor Stallworth
Activated from practice squad/injured: S Brandon Hill

Minnesota Vikings

Signed: DT Junior Aho

New England Patriots

Released: P Corliss Waitman

New Orleans Saints

Signed: OL Cameron Erving

Pittsburgh Steelers

Signed: WR Dez Fitzpatrick, TE Noah Gindorff

San Francisco 49ers

Signed: OL Ilm Manning, RB Jeremy McNichols
Released: FB Jack Colletto, DL Marlon Davidson

Tennessee Titans

Signed: WR Mason Kinsey

Erving finds a new home in 2023 after originally re-signing to stay with the Panthers in the offseason. The former first-round pick has plenty of starting experience over his eight years in the NFL and has started games at center, guard, and tackle. With several injuries nagging the offensive line in New Orleans, the addition of Erving could prove beneficial.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/2/23

October 2nd, 2023 at 8:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s taxi squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Released: DL Jacob Slade

Cincinnati Bengals

Released: QB Reid Sinnett

Detroit Lions

Signed: WR Trey Quinn

Las Vegas Raiders

Signed: TE Noah Togiai

Minnesota Vikings

Released: DL Junior Aho

New Orleans Saints

Released: LB Terrell Lewis

Vikings Not Looking To Trade Kirk Cousins; Jets Have Not Inquired About QB

October 1st, 2023 at 10:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

After an 0-3 start to the season, many named the Vikings as a potential seller in advance of the 2023 trade deadline. Quarterback Kirk Cousins would be a notable trade chip in such a scenario, but that is not the case at this point.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the Vikings “have no plans” of trading the 35-year-old (subscription required). Cousins’ future in Minnesota has been in question throughout the offseason, since 2023 marks the final year of his contract. Talks on a new deal are expected to take place after the season, and he has acknowledged his play this year will go a long way in determining his free agent value on a new Vikings pact or one in a new home.

Optimism has been expressed on both sides that another short-term arrangement can be made. Cousins has played on a fully-guaranteed three-year, $84MM pact after joining the team in free agency, as well as a two-year, $66MM extension. He will make $30MM this season as a result of the restructured deal which has him on track for free agency. As a rental, there would no doubt be a number teams interested in adding him.

One of those would be the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets, of course. As Russini notes, however, New York has not called Minnesota about Cousins’ availability, and it is unlikely that will change any time soon. The Jets have signed Trevor Siemian to serve as another veteran option behind much-maligned starter Zach Wilson, but no further moves under center are expected. That increases the chances of Cousins staying put through the remainder of the campaign.

The Vikings as a whole are not committed to a seller status ahead of the deadline, meaning a number of other veterans will likely not be on the trade block in the coming weeks (at least barring a continuation of their early losing streak). Cousins – who has posted the most passing yards (1,075) and touchdowns (nine) through three games this season – is safe in Minnesota for the time being, and it will be worth watching if he can help guide the team to a rebound in October. His absence from the trade market would also no doubt have a number of effects on the rest of the league as teams begin to evaluate if they will be aggressive in pursuing help in the near future.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23

September 30th, 2023 at 8:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:

Arizona Cardinals

Elevated: RB Corey Clement, DL Eric Banks

Atlanta Falcons

Elevated: DL Timmy Horne

Baltimore Ravens

Elevated: RB Melvin Gordon, WR Laquon Treadwell

Carolina Panthers

Elevated: CB Dicaprio Bootle, S Matthias Farley

Chicago Bears

Elevated: DB A.J. Thomas

Cincinnati Bengals

Elevated: TE Tanner Hudson

Cleveland Browns

Elevated: TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden, QB P.J. Walker

Dallas Cowboys

Signed to active roster: C Brock Hoffman
Elevated: LB Malik Jefferson, TE Sean McKeon

Denver Broncos

Elevated: LB Ben Niemann, RB Dwayne Washington

Houston Texans

Signed to active roster: DT Khalil Davis, T Austin Deculus
Released: S DeAndre Houston-Carson
Elevated: T Geron Christian, OL Jimmy Morrissey

Indianapolis Colts

Elevated: G Ike Boettger, WR Amari Rodgers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Elevated: TE Jacob Harris

Kansas City Chiefs

Elevated: LB Cole Christiansen

Las Vegas Raiders

Signed to active roster: LB Kana’i Mauga
Placed on IR: LB Curtis Bolton
Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, OLB Malik Reed

Los Angeles Chargers

Signed to active roster: S Dean Marlowe, S A.J. Finley
Placed on NFI list: C Corey Linsley (story), S JT Woods
Elevated: WR Keelan Doss, DE Andrew Former

Los Angeles Rams

Elevated: RB Royce Freeman, WR Austin Trammell

Miami Dolphins

Signed to active roster: WR Robbie Chosen, LB Cameron Goode
Elevated: DE Chase Winovich

Minnesota Vikings

Elevated: WR N’Keal Harry

New England Patriots

Elevated: DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr.

New Orleans Saints

Elevated: S Johnathan Abram, CB Cameron Dantzler

New York Jets

Elevated: OL Chris Glaser

Philadelphia Eagles

Elevated: S Tristin McCollum, P Braden Mann

Pittsburgh Steelers

Elevated: P Brad Wing

San Francisco 49ers

Elevated: CB Kendall Sheffield, WR Willie Snead

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Elevated: CB Keenan Isaac, LB J.J. Russell

Tennessee Titans

Elevated: CB Shyheim Carter, TE Kevin Rader

Washington Commanders

Elevated: RB Derrick Gore

Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.

Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.

Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/27/23

September 27th, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Signed: WR Chris Blair

Houston Texans

Signed: DT Michael Dwumfour
Released: DT Bruce Hector

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed: WR Daniel Arias

Minnesota Vikings

Signed: RB Myles Gaskin

New England Patriots

Signed: DL Manny Jones

New Orleans Saints

Signed: OL Mark Evans II, S Daniel Sorensen
Released: RB Kirk Merritt

Pittsburgh Steelers

Signed: WR Jalen Camp

San Francisco 49ers

Signed: S Tre Norwood, CB Kendall Sheffield, TE Jake Tonges
Released: RB Jeremy McNichols

Gaskin was released from the Vikings’ active roster yesterday, a likely result of the addition of former Rams rusher Cam Akers. It looks like he’ll remain in Minnesota, though, for the time being as a member of the team’s 16-man practice squad.

Sorensen, the nine-year veteran formerly of Kansas City, is back for a second year in New Orleans. Last year, Sorensen appeared in all 17 games for the Saints, making two starts. He recorded two interceptions, three passes defensed, and 17 tackles, including eight stops on special teams.

Bears Add CB Joejuan Williams Off Vikings’ Practice Squad

September 27th, 2023 at 9:52am CST by Sam Robinson

Intra-divisional practice squad poaching has taken off this week. After two such transactions transpired in the NFC South on Tuesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes the Bears are adding a Vikings P-squad defender.

Cornerback Joejuan Williams will head from Minneapolis to Chicago, with the Bears signing the cornerback off the Vikings’ taxi squad Wednesday morning. This will help a Bears team depleted at corner. The Bears have since announced the move.

Chicago is down Kyler Gordon, who headed to IR with a broken hand, and saw fellow starters Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson leave the team’s Week 3 matchup. Stevenson entered concussion protocol during the Chiefs’ runaway win, while Johnson left the game due to a hamstring injury.

Williams appears likely to see his first game action since 2021. The former Patriots second-rounder signed with the Vikings in April but could not make their 53-man roster. Minnesota did extend a P-squad invite shortly after waiving Williams, who was pushing for a roster spot during training camp. A desperate Bears team will take a look.

The Falcons added Storm Norton off the Saints’ P-squad, and the Saints signed quarterback Jake Luton off the Panthers’ 16-man unit. Like Norton and Luton, Williams must remain on his new team’s active roster for at least three weeks.

A 6-foot-3 cover man out of Vanderbilt, Williams went to the Patriots at No. 45 overall in 2019. Joining the then-defending Super Bowl champions, Williams could not carve out a notable role during his time in New England. He played a career-high 254 defensive snaps for the 2021 Pats but has just one start on his resume. Williams, 25, spent the 2022 season on IR due to a summer shoulder injury.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/26/23

September 26th, 2023 at 8:12pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Promoted: DT Roy Lopez

Los Angeles Chargers

Signed off Steelers practice squad: WR Simi Fehoko
Placed on IR: WR Mike Williams (story)

Minnesota Vikings

Released: RB Myles Gaskin

Seattle Seahawks

Waived from IR: WR Ra’Shaun Henry

Tennessee Titans

Promoted: OL Justin Murray
Placed on IR: S Mike Brown, RB Julius Chestnut

The Chargers officially placed Mike Williams on injured reserve today, opening a roster spot. The front office didn’t take long filling his spot on the depth chart, snagging receiver Simi Fehoko from Pittsburgh’s practice squad. The former fifth-round pick spent the first two seasons of his career with the Cowboys, where he hauled in three catches in 10 games. The Stanford product also had a significant role on special teams during his time in Dallas.

Roy Lopez looked to be entrenched in Houston’s defense for the foreseeable future, with the former sixth-round pick starting 29 of his 33 appearances between 2021 and 2022. However, after collecting only 67 tackles and two sacks across those two seasons, he was waived/injured by the Texans at the end of the preseason. The defensive lineman caught on with Arizona’s practice squad late last week.

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell Addresses Turnover Issues

September 26th, 2023 at 8:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings sit at 0-3 in large part due to the team’s struggles with ball security. Minnesota leads the league in turnovers, and lineup changes could be coming soon as a result.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has thrown a pair of interceptions – including one in the end zone in the losing stages of Sunday’s loss to the the Chargers – but the more troubling early trend has been the Vikings’ league-leading seven fumbles. Head coach Kevin O’Connell admitted he altered the team’s practice routine in the build-up to Week 3, but ball security remains an issue. In the aftermath of that contest, he issued a warning that players could find themselves on the bench in the near future.

“I think that’s something we’re going to fix one way or the other,” O’Connell said of the fumbling problems, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “Either guys are going to [fix] it or we’re going to have to put other guys in the game that have ball security.”

Running back Alexander Mattison has been among the players who have lost a number of fumbles (although only one so far has resulted in a change of possession). The 25-year-old assumed lead back duties in the wake of Dalvin Cook‘s release, and he is currently averaging a career-high 13 carries per game. Mattison has recorded 155 scoreless yards on the ground, along with one touchdown in the passing game.

Minnesota’s struggles on the ground made it little surprise that the team added Cam Akers via trade. In spite of his arrival, Mattison has received a vote of confidence as the Vikings’ lead back, though Akers did not suit up in Week 3. The latter will however be involved in the team’s game plan for Week 4, Seifert notes. It will be interesting to see how the Vikings divvy up their RB snaps, particularly if ball security remains an issue.

Aside from Mattison, other skill position players could now be on notice in advance of Minnesota’s game against Carolina. That matchup of winless teams will be important in the NFC standings, but it could also play a part in dictating playing time moving forward in the Vikings’ case.