Vikings Bolster Running Back Room
The Minnesota Vikings added running back Sincere McCormick to the practice squad on Wednesday as injuries have thinned the team’s backfield ahead of Week 18.
A year ago, the Minnesota Vikings made some roster adjustments with the playoffs right around the corner, but this year, the season will end on Sunday. Ahead of that game, however, the purple squad added running back Sincere McCormick to the mix, as injuries could leave the Vikings shorthanded at the RB position in the season finale.
Vikings Add Sincere McCormick to the Practice Squad
On Wednesday, the franchise unceremoniously announced on social media, “The Vikings have signed RB Sincere McCormick to the practice squad and waived LB Austin Keys.”
Aaron Jones didn’t practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to a hip injury. His wingman Jordan Mason was limited on Wednesday with an ankle issue that had previously forced him to sit out the most recent game against the Detroit Lions. He was a full participant on Thursday. Former practice squad runner Corey Kiner was stolen by the Cardinals last month.
With only Zavier Scott and Ty Chandler remaining, it made sense to add a pair of healthy legs to the running back room as an option for Sunday.
McCormick is 25 years old. The 2022 undrafted rookie spent his college days at UTSA, where he rushed for nearly 4,000 yards and 34 scores in three seasons. He also tabulated 509 yards and a touchdown as a pass catcher.
Despite his collegiate success, McCormick went undrafted in 2022 and signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. A few weeks later, McCormick landed on IR, ending his season in May. After spending a year on the practice squad in 2023, the runner made his NFL debut in December of 2024. In five games (two starts), McCormick rushed 39 times for 183 yards and he registered six catches for 29 yards. He has not played since.
The Raiders released him after the 2025 preseason. In the regular season, he had quick stints with the 49ers, Cardinals, and Broncos. Released by Denver two weeks ago, Minnesota’s practice squad is his fifth stop in the 2025 season alone.
At 5’8″ and 205 lbs, McCormick lacks high-end speed or size, as shown by his 4.6-second 40-yard dash in 2022.
NFL.com Draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote ahead of his unsuccessful draft bid, “McCormick has proven he can carry a heavy workload with consistent results over the last two years. He’s stout and strong running behind his pads through contact, but often needs a clear point of entry to get cranked up. He can be a little indecisive processing block development, which could hurt his timing quickness to get through NFL run lanes quickly. He’s a candidate to compete for a roster spot as a three-down backup.”
He has the college workload to suggest he could handle a high number of touches, but his lack of explosiveness will make it hard for him to succeed in the NFL beyond having depth roles.
McCormick is unlikely to make his Vikings debut on Sunday if either Jones or Mason is available, as Chandler and Scott would function as RB2 and RB3.
Once the game is done, the Vikings will sign players to futures contracts to fill the offseason roster, and McCormick is a candidate to stick around until at least the summer.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.