Vikings Make 3 Roster Moves on Saturday
On Sunday, the disappointing 2025 Vikings will head to Green Bay in the hope of securing a third division road win of the season. To do that, the franchise announced three roster moves on Saturday that could impact the game.
Vikings Make 3 Roster Moves on Saturday
The first one, we had all been expecting for a couple of days now: Ryan Kelly was activated from IR and is now back on the 53-man roster.
Kelly suffered a second concussion of the season in Week 4, and the Vikings stashed him on IR to make sure he can recover without any pressure. Two weeks ago, the center worked on a side field. Last week, his 21-day practice window was opened, and he was eligible to practice with the team. Kelly got limited practice designations all week and was ultimately held out for another week.
This week, however, Kelly logged full practices. The activation was the final hurdle he had to clear to be ready to compete on Sunday.
In his absence, versatile backup Blake Brandel took over, and the veteran did a decent job after some early struggles. Now that the four-time Pro Bowler is back, though, he’ll return to the bench role again and wait for another opportunity.
For the first time this season, the Vikings will have their entire starting lineup available on gameday. Tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill had their respective knee struggles, guard Donovan Jackson had to undergo wrist surgery, and Kelly joined them on the sidelines with his concussion issues. Only right guard Will Fries has played in all ten games.
Having the line at full strength could give the Vikings a boost on offense — something they certainly need. Giving J.J. McCarthy as much time as possible against Green Bay’s ferocious front and opening holes in the running game is key for the Vikings in a game in which they are six-point underdogs.
The roster spot needed for Kelly’s return was opened by releasing Dwight McGlothern. Once a promising corner, the Vikings seemingly don’t think he has what it takes at this moment. Still, his absence was short-lived, as he was re-signed to the practice squad.
Sophomore McGlothern was a star in July and August in consecutive years, and both times, the coaching staff deployed veteran Fabian Moreau instead of trusting the young defender. The eye-opening element in the saga is that no other team pounced and gave McGlothern a shot. He is available for the 31 teams, but he’ll stay in the building for now.
Just like Kelly’s activation, McGlothern’s signing required a corresponding move to make room on the practice squad. The Vikings also announced Cam Akers’ release. The running back was signed to the practice squad ahead of the season and has played three times.
Because that’s the maximum number of elevations for a practice squad player in a given season, he hasn’t played in weeks. Akers is a safe bet to return if something happened to the three top runners on the depth chart, but for now, he’s out and can sign with any team.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.