Former Viking Lands in Chicago
Dustin Baker
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With NFL training camps in full swing, free agency picked up once again this week as general managers tweak their 90-man rosters.
The Minnesota Vikings added TE Colin Thompson, OG Jack Snyder, and OT Bobby Evans.
Former Viking Lands in Chicago
And to the south, the Vikings secondary rival, the Chicago Bears, added former Vikings offensive lineman Aviante Collins.
The Bears PR department tweeted Wednesday, “Bears roster move: We have waived OL Lorenz Metz and signed OL Aviante Collins.”
Collins will wear No. 74 and report to his fourth team in seven seasons. Here’s his destination resume to date:
- Minnesota Vikings (2017–2020)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2021)
- Dallas Cowboys (2021–2022)
- Chicago Bears (2023)
Former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman found Collins via undrafted free agency in 2017, and the TCU alumnus remained attached to the roster, mostly in a practice squad capacity, for four seasons. Collins joined the Steelers in February 2021.
Collins experienced regular season action for the Vikings in 2017 and 2019. He started a game in 2019 and played 77 total offensive snaps in purple from 2017 until his departure after the 2020 season. The 30-year-old also appeared in two games for the Cowboys last year.
The Bears currently employ these offensive tackles:
- Braxton Jones
- Darnell Wright
- Larry Borom
- Alex Leatherwood
- Robert Haskins
- Kellen Diesch
- Roy Mbaeteka
- Josh Lugg
- Aviante Collins
Collins is unlikely to make the 53-man Bears roster on August 29th, but Chicago, per roster talent, also has one of the worst offensive lines in the sport. If Collins plans on making any NFL regular season roster, it would probably be for the Bears.
Chicago enters 2023 with self-professed lofty expectations. The club finished 3-14 last year, but most Bears fans and pundits believe third-year quarterback Justin Fields is sitting on a massive breakout campaign. Fields personally even guaranteed a 4,000-yard passing season this year — in addition to the terror he conducts with his legs.
The Bears employ two other former Vikings players, Khari Blasingame (FB) and Jalyn Holmes (DT).
Oddsmakers believe Chicago is on deck for 7.5 wins heading into 2023. The Vikings are outfitted with an 8.5-win projection.
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.
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