2014 Minnesota Vikings: Vikings claim Mike Harris, Marqueis Gray waive Wentworth, Dean

The Minnesota Vikings have claimed former Cleveland Browns tight end Marqueis Gray and San Diego Chargers offensive tackle Mike Harris, per Brian Hall. They have waived Larry Dean and Austin Wentworth to do it.

Gray is a former University of Minnesota quarterback, who moved to tight end in the NFL and worked with Norv Turner in Cleveland (first stopping in San Francisco) and plays a versatile H-back role, moving around the field to create mismatches. Gray was also used in specific packages, like a Wildcat-type package in Cleveland. Gray had 104 snaps in the preseason with a Pro Football Focus grade of -3.8. In the regular season in 2013, Gray appeared in thirteen games (115 snaps) and ended with a positive grade (0.8 ).

Mike Harris is also a former Norv Turner player, and has played for the San Diego Chargers since 2012. He went to school at UCLA and went undrafted. Harris had 163 snaps in the preseason and finished with a -0.2 grade. In the regular season in 2013, Harris appeared in three games (194 snaps) and ended with a positive grade (0.6). The year previous, Mike Harris started at left tackle and finished as PFF’s worst-graded tackle by a significant margin.

Austin Wentworth is eligible for the practice squad, but Larry Dean is not, even with expanded rules (he has had three accrued seasons in the NFL). The other players who are eligible for the practice squad are as follows:

Player Position
Dominique Williams HB
Donte Foster WR
Mike Zimmer LB
Kendall James CB
Kain Colter WR
Isame Faciane DT
Zac Kerin C
Austin Wentworth OT
Chase Ford TE
Kamar Jorden WR
Robert Steeples CB
Jeff Baca OG
Mike Remmers OT
Joe Banyard RB
Chase Baker DT
Allen Reisner TE

Joe Banyard is known to be signed to the practice squad. Kain Colter and Dominique Williams are reported to have practice squad invites. Some of the availability is restricted, as two of the slots are available for those players who have had two accrued seasons (like Allen Reisner) while eight other slots do not.

UPDATE: Chase Ford is also reported to be on the practice squad. So is Austin Wentworth.

UPDATE2: Mike Remmers is reported to be on the practice squad, per his agent.

UPDATE3: Kain Colter has been confirmed for the practice squad.

UPDATE4: Jeff Baca has not been signed to the practice squad, but the “door will remain open”

Player Position
Mike Remmers OT
Austin Wentworth OT
Joe Banyard RB
Chase Ford TE
Kain Colter WR
Dominique Williams RB
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