Vikings Axe Sophomore Linebacker

The Minnesota Vikings have made a bunch of moves through the first week and change of their 2024 training camp. That became necessary because a bunch of injuries hurt the depth in the secondary, and new arrivals were required. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has added three players to the third level of the defense within a few days.
Vikings Axe Sophomore Linebacker
The first one was Jacobi Francis, who spent the past two campaigns on Houston’s practice squad. He will be a depth cornerback. Safety Bobby McCain has a history with Brian Flores and experience at safety and slot cornerback. He will likely compete for a roster spot, and seeing him earn meaningful snaps in the next few weeks isn’t far-fetched.
The latest addition is veteran journeyman cornerback Fabian Moreau. He has also collected plenty of experience as an outside cornerback and in the slot, and he will at least be a solid depth player. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the NFL, but having him take one of the coveted 53 roster spots seems likely, and a starting job could be in play.

His signing put Minnesota over the roster limit of 90 players (in addition to tight end Sammis Reyes, who doesn’t count as an international pathway player), so one guy had to leave. The decision-makers resolved the problem by parting ways with linebacker Abraham Beauplan, the team announced on Wednesday.
The defender couldn’t use his second chance. He joined the Vikings last year after the draft as an undrafted signee out of the University of Marshall. Unlike fellow UDFA Ivan Pace, Beauplan failed to make an impression early in his career.
The Vikings released him with an injury designation in August. Because he wasn’t claimed off waivers, he reverted to the team’s IR. An injury settlement ended his first tenure with the Vikings, but he returned in January when the Vikings added him to the practice squad and signed him to a future contract.

His calling card is his athleticism. Bruce Feldman listed him as part of Feldman’s Freaks in 2022. That list features 100 freakish athletes to watch in college football:
The 6-2 235-pounder from Florida showed off his speed when he ran the 40 in the high 4.5s and made 133 tackles at Navarro JC in Texas. Beauplan had little trouble transitioning to FBS football, leading the Herd in tackles with 110 and 11 TFLs. This offseason, he vertical-jumped 37 inches, squatted 565 and benched 385. His strength and athleticism really translated onto the field.
In three seasons at Marshall University, he logged a total of 231 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 35 games.
Beauplan’s exit leaves the Vikings with six linebackers.
- Ivan Pace Jr.
- Blake Cashman
- Kamu Grugier-Hill
- Brian Asamoah
- Jabril Cox
- Dallas Gant
The Vikings have already released William Kwenkeu and undrafted rookies Donovan Manuel and K.J. Cloyd.

Ivan Pace Jr. recently stated that he would most likely be the new green-dot player to call plays on the field after Jordan Hicks’ exit. Blake Cashman joined in free agency and will start next to him.
The other four linebackers compete for likely two roster spots. Their talent on special teams will factor in.
Beauplan is 24 and hopes to find a team with an open roster spot, allowing him to showcase his talent in the preseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB helped with this article.

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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt