Former Vikings Draft Pick Heads to Arizona
The Minnesota Vikings had a nightmare draft class in 2022. Lewis Cine was supposed to be a long-term safety answer, and Andrew Booth was expected to provide some cornerback help, but the duo flamed out in record time. Ed Ingram has been traded, and Brian Asamoah was axed in the summer. Only Ty Chandler and Jalen Nailor are still around.
Former Vikings Draft Pick Heads to Arizona
Someone who has never made headlines on the field but delivered valuable depth was tight end Nick Muse. Considering his draft pedigree as a seventh-round pick, he can be classified as a solid draft pick. He remained with the organization for three seasons and has recently been on the market.
The Arizona Cardinals had an opening, as fellow tight end Tip Reiman suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Muse was added to the practice squad, the team announced on Wednesday.
Jess Root wrote on Cards Wire, “The Arizona Cardinals made some moves on the practice squad on Wednesday before the first practice of Week 6. With tight end Tip Reiman landing on injured reserve, where he will miss the rest of the season, they signed tight end Nick Muse to the practice squad and released safety Patrick McMorris. The release of McMorris showed up on the NFL transaction report on Tuesday. Muse was one of four players who tried out for the Cardinals on Tuesday.”
Arizona is the third stop in his NFL career. He had previously spent time with the Vikings and Eagles.
Minnesota’s 227th overall pick in the 2022 draft played his college ball at William & Mary, followed by a three-year stint at South Carolina. During his tenure with the Vikings, he was moved between the practice squad and the 53-man roster multiple times.
He ultimately appeared in 16 games (four in 2024) and caught one pass for 22 yards on 19 offensive and 184 special teams snaps. The former South Carolina pass-catcher was a preseason fixture in Minnesota, tabulating 15 receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Muse contributed in ten games in his rookie season, but exclusively on special teams. His most offensive snaps came in 2024 when he was on the field for exactly 17 reps.
After the Vikings were bounced from playoff contention, the practice-squadder was free to sign with any other team. Most players agree to futures contracts with someone, but Muse had different ideas. He was acquired by the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Eagles, for their postseason run.
Muse is technically a Super Bowl champion, although he didn’t play. In the offseason, he attempted to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster but was cut in August.
The tight end is now one call-up away from playing in another football game and potentially catching passes from Kyler Murray. Arizona employs three other tight ends, including star pass-catcher Trey McBride and backups Elijah Higgins and Travis Vokolek. The former Viking will now meet defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, with whom he shared the locker room in the Twin Cities in the 2022 campaign.
Muse will turn 27 in November, and he has carved out a nice career for himself as a depth player.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.