Vikings Make a Flurry of Roster Moves Before Week 12

Nov 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talks to wide receiver Trishton Jackson (9) against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings are hoping to get back on track this weekend after falling to the Denver Broncos last Sunday.

Up next on the docket is a home matchup against their division rivals, the Chicago Bears. Before that game takes place, the Vikings have made a flurry of roster moves to prepare for the game, involving both the active roster and the practice squad.

Vikings Make a Flurry of Roster Moves

Vikings Roster Moves
Oct 15, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell watches his team warm up before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday afternoon, the Vikings tweeted the following, “The #Vikings have signed DL Sheldon Day from the practice squad to the active roster. WR Trishton Jackson has been waived. OLB Austin Bryant has been signed to the practice squad and WR Dan Chisena has been released from the practice squad.”

Sheldon Day joins the active roster after spending nearly a year on the Vikings practice squad. The veteran journeyman was signed by Minnesota last December, but he is yet to appear in a regular season game wearing a purple uniform.

Day has previous experience with Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, which likely was a big reason why Minnesota opted to pick him up in the first place. The defensive lineman was in San Francisco from 2017-19 while Adofo-Mensah was the director of football research and development with the 49ers.

Syndication: The Tennessean
Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis (7) recovers his fumble next to Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Day (52) during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023.

Day was originally a fourth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2016, and he has played in a total of 67 NFL games while making three starts. In total, Day has recorded 76 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 7.0 sacks.

Meanwhile, the Vikings are saying goodbye to a pair of wide receivers: Dan Chisena and Trishton Jackson. Chisena was once a big feature on Minnesota’s special teams unit, but he has yet to be elevated from the practice squad this season. As for Jackson, he has hopscotched back and forth from the Vikings practice squad and active roster.

The receiver has appeared in six games this season, recording a pair of receptions for nine yards. This includes a two-point conversion against the Atlanta Falcons that proved vital to Minnesota’s comeback victory a few weeks ago.

In all likelihood, the young receiver will return to the practice squad once again if he clears waivers.

Jul 27, 2022; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Trishton Jackson (9) at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

And finally, the Vikings have added OLB Austin Bryant to the practice squad. Bryant began his NFL career back in 2019 when the Detroit Lions selected him in the fourth round. After his contract expired this spring, the pass-rusher hopped onto the San Francisco 49ers practice squad, but they opted to release him prior to Week 11’s action.

Throughout Bryant’s career, he has played in 35 games and has put together 66 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Each of his sacks came during the 2021 season with the Lions when he started five games for the defense.

Bryant just turned 27 years of age back on November 12th.

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.