One Former Viking Will Start for Eagles Tonight
Dustin Baker
|
The Minnesota Vikings lost in Week 1 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, putting a damper on a season with reasonably high expectations.
The purple team can cleanse all Week 1 sins on Thursday Night Football with a victory over the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles, but Philadelphia is a six-point favorite to prevail at home.
One Former Viking Will Start for Eagles Tonight
Along the way, because of injury’s happenstance, a former Vikings linebacker is on deck to start against his old team in primetime — Christian Elliss.
Second-year defender Nakobe Dean, of Georgia Bulldogs fame and a college teammate of Lewis Cine, hit injured reserve this week and is shelved indefinitely. After Dean on the depth chart, the Eagles roster becomes rather skinny.
And that’s where Elliss enters the chat.
Elliss was undrafted during the 2021 cycle, hitting free agency after the event and scooped by then-GM Rick Spielman. He stuck around for minicamp, training camp, and some of the preseason but was released on August 23rd, 2021.
Two and a half weeks later, Elliss was signed to the Eagles practice squad, where he remained for a little over a month. Like the Vikings, Philadelphia cut Elliss, and he hit free agency yet again.
On November 3rd, 2021, Elliss joined the San Francisco 49ers and remained for a week. A common theme for the man that season, he was dropped by San Francisco — and found his way back to the Eagles roster three days later.
He’s remained an Eagle for about two years, twisting and turning between the practice squad and active roster. Now, he’ll start for the Eagles against the team that initially gave him an audition and hopes to nudge his team to a 2-0 record in 2023.
Elliss played 34 defensive snaps in the Eagles Week 1 contest at the New England Patriots, recording a subpar 36.8 Pro Football Focus grade. He’ll strive to improve that score versus the Vkings under the lights on Thursday.
Overall, the Idaho alumnus has played in 8 NFL games, starting none to date and logging 18 tackles, primarily on special teams.
The Eagles will be without the aforementioned Dean against Minnesota, running back Kenneth Gainwell, cornerback James Bradberry, and safety Reed Blankenship. Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox is questionable.
The Vikings won’t have center Garrett Bradbury in Week 2 after a back injury versus the Buccaneers. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw and outside linebacker Marcus Davenport are questionable.
Christian’s [Elliss] brother, Kaden, plays linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons.
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.