Eagles Steal Defender from Vikings Roster
Dustin Baker
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Former 2021 4th-Round pick Janarius Robinson left the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, venturing to Philadelphia for a spot on the Eagles roster just six days before both teams meet on Monday Night Football.
Robinson was a member of the Vikings practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of August.
The Florida State alumnus missed all of the 2021 season on injured reserve. The 2022 campaign was supposed to act as his rookie season — if he could make the team. In his stead, fellow 2021 draft alumnus Patrick Jones and third-year pass rusher D.J. Wonnum serve as reservist EDGE rushers to Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith on the Vikings depth chart.
The Eagles pilfered Robinson after defensive end Derek Barnett tore his ACL and was sent to injured reserve this week. Barnett was a trade component received “from the Vikings” roundaboutly from the Sam Bradford trade six years ago. While Robinson is nowhere near the caliber of player as Barnett, a roster spot did open up for Robinson, who will start his second NFL chapter in the NFC East.
Robinson arrived to the Vikings as fruit from the Stefon Diggs trade to Buffalo. Diggs was packaged to the Buffalo Bills in 2020 — where he fit in tremendously— while the Vikings received the picks that netted Justin Jefferson (WR), Camryn Bynum (FS), Zach Davidson (TE), Kenny Willekes (EDGE), and Robinson.
Because Robinson played for the Vikings as of Tuesday morning — and now plays for the Vikings opponent this Monday night — folks will wonder if the Eagles coaching staff specifically onboarded Robinson to pick his brain about the Vikings operations. We shall if it matters.
The Eagles held off the Detroit Lions 38-35 in Week 1, thanks to four rushing touchdowns from various players and 155 receiving yards from the newly-acquired A.J. Brown. Philadelphia was also called for 10 penalties in the win.
Minnesota smothered Green Bay 23-7 in its opening salvo for the Kevin O’Connell era and immediately ascended the court of public opinion. Per a hodgepodge of credible power rankings, the Vikings climbed from the NFL’s 18th-best team to the ninth-best in a matter of days after topping the Packers.
The Eagles also employ former Vikings safety Marcus Epps.
Robinson has never played in a regular season game.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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