Vikings Promote Newcomer Veteran to Active Roster
Not long ago, the Minnesota Vikings employed Oli Udoh and Vederian Lowe as reservist offensive tackles to support starters Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.
But Udoh was injured for the season in Week 2, and Lowe was traded for a 6th-Round pick to the New England Patriots on August 27th.
Vikings Promote Newcomer Veteran to Active Roster
And before Week 5, with the Vikings hosting the Kansas City Chiefs, a veteran offensive tackle was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, newcomer Hakeem Adeniji.
The six-foot-five, 300-pounder is now just a snap away from regular season playing time, although Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill have a clean bill of health heading into the Chiefs contest. The Vikings primary social media account tweeted Thursday, “The Vikings have signed Hakeem Adeniji to the 53-man roster and Tanner Morgan to the practice squad.”
Morgan was the Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback for five seasons, and you can read more about him here.
Adeniji played for the Cincinnati Bengals for three seasons, was a 6th-Round draft pick in 2020, and appeared in Super Bowl LVI. He saw action in 39 games for the Bengals, starting 15 and tallying 1,008 offensive snaps in three seasons. His playing time was at its highest in 2021, fielding 556 offensive snaps in Cincinnati.
The 25-year-old is formally listed as the backup right tackle to the aforementioned O’Neill, with Darrisaw and backup David Quessenberry on the left side.
Here’s Adeniji’s Pro Football Focus resume to date:
- 2020: 51.6
- 2021: 48.3
- 2022: 54.1
The Vikings offensive line has involved a mixed bag through four games, with some credible metrics claiming the pass protection is exemplary. Others, though, like Pro Football Focus, rank the unit as the 22nd-best in the league.
Or, for example, Minnesota ranks fourth-best leaguewide per quarterback pocket time [to throw] but also places dead last in QB pressures allowed.
The evidence tends to suggest that quarterback Kirk Cousins holds the ball too long — but then he also leads the NFL in touchdown passes. It’s odd.
Minnesota hosts Kansas City this weekend and is a four-point home underdog. The Vikings haven’t lost three home games to start a season with fans in attendance in 51 years. With the Chiefs on the way to Minneapolis, though, that streak is in jeopardy.
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 Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.