Vikings Waive Rookie TE
Janik Eckardt
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The Minnesota Vikings draft class in 2022 was the first of the tenure of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. In the past, Adofo-Mensah worked as a Wall Street Commodity Trader, recently as assistant GM in Cleveland under Andrew Berry. His first draft class has been a huge disappointment, especially top picks Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth. On Friday, the Vikings waived rookie tight end Nick Muse.
In advance of activating Irv Smith from injured reserve, the Vikings had to clear a roster spot. Unfortunately for Muse, he became the victim of that. Smith was placed on IR after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 8. Following his injury, Adofo-Mensah remembered his time as a trader and facilitated the trade for T.J. Hockenson, a deal that won the Vikings multiple games in 2022. It’s impossible to imagine the Vikings’ offense without third-down target Hockenson.
Vikings Waive Rookie TE
The final tight end on the active roster is Johnny Mundt. He was a free agent signing and joined his old offensive coordinator, Kevin O’Connell, in Minnesota. After recording only 93 receiving yards in his first five career seasons, Mundt already secured 140 receiving yards and his only career touchdown. He is an excellent blocker and a solid asset in the passing game.
Rookie Muse would’ve been the fourth tight end on the roster. Considering that the Vikings also have fullback C.J. Ham on the team, it is unnecessary to carry four tight ends. A fullback, especially one of Ham’s caliber, can do most things a tight end can do, just lined up in a different spot.
Muse appeared in ten games for the Vikings but didn’t play a single snap on offense. He contributed with 108 special teams snaps.
Waiving the tight end doesn’t mean Muse can no longer be a Viking. He has to go unclaimed through the waiver process, and the Vikings could re-sign him to their practice squad. Muse was part of the practice squad from August 31 to November 19, when the team promoted him to the active roster.
The tight end recorded 805 receiving yards and three scores in three seasons for South Carolina in the SEC. He started his college career playing at William & Mary. The seventh-rounder caught four passes for 40 yards in the preseason.
If the Vikings get him back on the practice squad, he will compete for a spot on the 53-man roster in the summer. All other rookies of Adofo-Mensah’s first draft class are either on the active roster or injured reserve, so fans should wait for their final review of the rookies.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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