Chris Reed to Begin 2023 Season on NFI, Will Miss First 4 Games
The Vikings are in the process of trimming down their final roster to 53 players ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Part of this process has included multiple cuts, but they have also placed veteran guard Chris Reed on NFI to begin the regular season. Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune reported the news, tweeting, “#Vikings guard Chris Reed, who’s been on the NFI list during training camp, is expected to stay there to start the regular season. He would miss the team’s first four games.”
Vikings Keep Chris Reed on NFI
Reed began training camp on NFI. Kevin O’Connell stated at the start of camp, “[Reed] sustained a non-football injury away from the facility, a lower-leg injury, we’re hoping that he’s not that far behind Andre to get going.”
However, the veteran interior offensive lineman has remained sidelined for the entirety of training camp, and he did not appear in any joint practices or preseason games.
As a result, Reed remains on the list and will miss the first four games for the Vikings. However, he will not take up a spot on the final 53-man roster, allowing Minnesota to keep another player around heading into the regular season.
Reed joined the Vikings in 2022, and he appeared in seven games throughout the season, largely on special teams. However, when both Garrett Bradbury and Austin Schlottmann went down with injuries, he stepped in at center for Weeks 17 and 18 with the offense.
The veteran has proven to be a versatile player throughout his NFL career, taking snaps at all three IOL positions during his seven-year career. Hopefully, he gets back to full health and gives the Vikings some extra depth on the offensive line heading into Week 5.
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.