Vikings Welcome 2 Familiar Faces to Practice Squad
The Minnesota Vikings had an eventful Tuesday, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked to release a bunch of players to reach the 53-man roster limit. Perhaps the most surprising departure was running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu. The purple chapter of former first-rounder Lewis Cine is over, too.
Vikings Welcome 2 Familiar Faces to Practice Squad
Adofo-Mensah’s next task is to observe the waiver wire for potential roster additions. He also needs to fill the practice squad with players who can function as depth for the season and developmental pieces.
The first two signings belong to the first group.
Bobby McCain signed with the Vikings on July 29. He is an experienced veteran in the NFL at both safety and slot cornerback and has a history with defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The defender played under ex-Dolphins head coach Flores in 2019 and 2020.
The University of Memphis alumnus arrived in the league as a fifth-round selection in 2015. After providing depth as a backup in his debut season with the Dolphins, McCain became a starter as Miami’s slot cornerback in 2016, and he kept a starting job throughout 2020 when Flores called the shots in South Florida.
In 2021, he left in free agency and signed with Washington, where he stayed for two campaigns until the franchise released him in 2023. The one-year stint with the New York Giants was underwhelming as he barely saw the field.
McCain has played 131 games in the NFL and started 87. During his nine-year NFL career, the defensive back has tabulated 394 tackles, 11 interceptions, and four sacks.
Since the Vikings parted ways with Cine, they employ five safeties on the roster. Considering Flores’ defensive plan that often features three, sometimes even four safeties, having another veteran reserve with some knowledge of the system makes sense.
Running back Gaskin is another necessary addition. The Vikings currently have an absurdly low running back count of two on the roster, with only Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler following the exits of Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride, and Mo Ibrahim.
Gaskin spent the majority of the 2023 season on Minnesota’s practice squad, with a short stint on Sean McVay’s Rams. He appeared in three games (two with the Vikings) and played ten special teams snaps. His time as a productive NFL running back might be over after only carrying the ball ten times in 2022 and not a single time last year.
The 2019 seventh-round pick started games in Miami in 2020 and 2021. In his four years with the Dolphins, Gaskin rushed for 1,355 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 701 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a pass-catcher.
Because the Vikings only have two running backs on the roster, Gaskin is the frontrunner to be elevated in Week 1 as the third rusher unless the club acquires someone else in the next one-and-a-half weeks.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference 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