Vikings Lose Contributing Rookie to Arizona
Ahead of the season finale, the Minnesota Vikings added running back Sincere McCormick to the practice squad. While announcing that move on social media, the club also noted that rookie linebacker Austin Keys was cut in the process. He didn’t make it through waivers to potentially return to the practice squad; instead, Keys was claimed by the Arizona Cardinals.
Austin Keys Claimed By Cardinals
The NFC West franchise announced on the team’s website, “The Cardinals also added another new piece to the roster with a thought to the offseason, claiming inside linebacker Austin Keys off waivers after he was released by the Minnesota Vikings.”
Arizona is shorthanded in the linebacker room. The team added, “Starting inside linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. has been out since midseason with a ribs injury. Rookie Cody Simon and Akeem Davis Gaither have been in the lineup, while Owen Pappoe is the depth.”
The Cardinals play one more game this season against the Los Angeles Rams. Their opponents still play for playoff seeding, while the Cardinals have long been eliminated. Since starting 2-0, the team coached by former Vikings assistant Jonathan Gannon has dropped 13 of the last 14 games and sits at 3-13.
Minnesota’s Next Strange Linebacker Cut
It all started in the summer when the Vikings said goodbye to fourth-year defender Brian Asamoah. After a few years as a special-teams contributor, the Vikes just axed him, seemingly preferring rookies Kobe King and Austin Keys.
Well, fast forward five months, and neither is on the team. Sixth-rounder King was waived in October, and the first-ranked Jets just claimed him off waivers. While the team never explained the move, it suggested either that the team thought undrafted rookie Keys was better, or they expected him to go through the waivers process.
With only one game left on the schedule, the Vikings also cut Keys, seemingly without needing that roster spot. They are currently a player short. Sixth-round tight end Gavin Bartholomew could be activated from the PUP list to make his season debut.
Either way, Keys played in 11 games, logging 191 snaps on special teams and another eight on defense. The former Auburn defender was a prominent special teams contributor in Matt Daniels’ crew, recording an elite PFF grade of 87.4.
He has one sack and seven tackles on his rookie resume, hoping to add to those totals in Week 18. By claiming him off waivers, the Cardinals assumed his three-year rookie contract. Keys is 23 years old.
Minnesota’s Linebacker Depth
The Vikings now have only three linebackers on the 53-man roster.
Starters Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson have been excellent this season. Cashman was great last year, too, but Wilson was acquired to be a backup in Brian Flores’ linebacker unit, but he exploded once he entered the starting lineup early in the season. He’s leading all middle linebackers in sacks, tackles for loss, and QB pressures.
Former starter Ivan Pace is the backup, while the team also employs two more linebackers on the practice squad, including veteran Sione Takitaki, an experienced defender on defense and special teams. He’s an obvious gameday call-up this week. Josh Ross is the other linebacker on the practice squad. He has 22 NFL games under his belt.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.