Vikings Tight End Snagged By Rams
The Minnesota Vikings haven’t had much success against the Los Angeles Rams in recent memory. Sean McVay’s squad dismantled the Vikings twice last season, handing Kevin O’Connell’s unit two of the four losses that year.
A crucial game in the 2021 season also went the Rams’ way, with O’Connell coordinating Los Angeles and Brandon Powell returning a punt to the house. In 2018, Mike Zimmer’s defense was solved by McVay, who dialed up plays to have Anthony Barr cover Cooper Kupp, with the expected result.
Vikings Tight End Snagged By Rams
Once again, the Rams annoyed the Vikes. Tight end Nick Vannett was stolen off Minnesota’s practice squad and will now wear a helmet with a different horn, the Rams announced.
The veteran was a valuable depth piece for the Vikings, appearing in four games and starting one. Vannett didn’t catch a ball during his Vikings stint, but he surely offered some value as a blocker. The Rams have shifted towards heavier personnel this season. McVay was the poster boy of running most plays with three wideouts, but this year, he has frequently featured three tight ends.
Therefore, he needs at least three healthy and capable tight ends.
Ramblin Fan’s Bret Stuter wrote about the addition of Baby Gronk: “Despite the nickname, Nick Vannett is likely a tight end added to ensure the roster can sustain its 12- and 13-personnel packages, despite the injury to tight end Tyler Higbee. And the 6-foot-5, 266-pound man-mountain certainly has the optics of a solid blocker.”
Even with Higbee sidelined, the Rams employ three other tight ends: Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, and Terrance Ferguson.
Vannett is a ten-year veteran who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. The third-rounder and Ohio State alumnus was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final year of his rookie contract in 2019. Since then, he has bounced around, already suiting up for the Denver Broncos (2020), New Orleans Saints (2021; 2022), New York Giants (2022), Los Angeles Chargers (2023), Tennessee Titans (2024), and Minnesota Vikings (2025).
In 115 career games, Vannett caught 108 passes for 1,012 yards and nine touchdowns. His best statistical year took place in 2018 when he registered 269 yards and three scores on the receiving end of Russell Wilson’s passes.
Now that the veteran is out, the Vikings will have to pivot to other guys behind top tight end T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver. Rookie sixth-rounder Gavin Bartholomew was envisioned to be the new depth tight end following Johnny Mundt’s departure in free agency, but a nagging back injury hasn’t allowed him to play in a game.
Fellow rookie Ben Yurosek took advantage of the opening and has played in eight contests. He has one catch for five yards on his NFL resume. The Vikings mostly use the former Georgia Bulldog as a blocker. Ben Sims, once an undrafted rookie with the Vikings, played for the Packers in the last 2.5 seasons. A couple of weeks ago, the Vikings returned the favor and claimed him off waivers.
Following Vannett’s exit, it’ll be either Sims or Yurosek in the TE3 role, while Bryson Nesbit, who is on the practice squad, is still waiting for his NFL debut.
Looking at the standings, Vannett has a shot at a Super Bowl with the Rams.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.