Former Viking Lands in Chicago

Dustin Baker |

Jul 27, 2023

Oct 14, 2018; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A Chicago Bears helmet and gloves sit on the field prior to the game between the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports.

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)

Aug 21, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Texas Christian University former teammates Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Aviante Collins (61) and Detroit Lions offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (72) look on after their game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports.

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.

Sep 19, 2015; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs offensive tackle Aviante Collins (69) and offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (74) celebrate with the Iron Skillet after the victory against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports.

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

Sep 27, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs offensive tackle Aviante Collins (69) blocks Southern Methodist Mustangs linebacker Jonathan Yenga (1) in the game at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. TCU beat Southern Methodist 56-0. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports.

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.

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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.