Jul 31, 2022; Irvine, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams guard Jack Snyder (64) during training camp at UC Irvine. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Vikings entered the day with two open roster spots. One was created by releasing John Reid, a journeyman cornerback, and the other one had been open for a while because Junior Aho. a defensive lineman out of France, doesn’t count against the 90-man roster. The international pathway program allows international players to be on a roster without a downside for teams.
Minnesota tried out nine players on Sunday and signed a couple of those nine guys on Monday. Colin Thompson’s arrival was publicized first, and now offensive guard Jack Snyder is the second addition to the roster – the team also waived wide receiver Malik Knowles which leaves the Vikings once again at 90 players. The rookies and some veterans arrived on Sunday, and the remaining veterans join Tuesday.
Snyder’s signing was first reported by Aaron Wilson on Twitter. The San Jose State product spent a long time in college, six years to be exact, playing football in five of them. He broke the school record for most games played (56) and most starts (51) and was part of a strong pass-blocking unit in 2021 that allowed only 21 sacks on 402 pass attempts.
The lineman had a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 after going undrafted and then joined the XFL draft, in which he went as the first overall offensive lineman taken. The Houston Roughnecks made the selection, and he played for them in 2023, appearing in nine games.
Synder has experience playing both guard and tackle, which is an important asset. Teams value flexible linemen, and it could help him carve out a role with the purple team.
Si.com envisioned Snyder as an intriguing backup offensive lineman in his pre-draft process:
A physically limited technician, Jack Snyder’s appeal to NFL teams will likely be rooted in his versatility, movement skills and experience. The San Jose State tackle has the skillset to serve as a backup at any offensive line position. That said, his concerning length, core strength and power profile will hinder him at the next level. All the same, his ability to play along the line should make him immediately rosterable while he develops into an intriguing swing option.
At the end of the day, he is still unlikely to make noise as the team returned every single one of their 2022 linemen. Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill will continue to play at offensive tackle and Garrett Bradbury, Ezra Cleveland, and Ed Ingram are still the favorites to start in Week 1, although fans would’ve liked the Vikings to address the interior of the offensive line after their quarterback Kirk Cousins was the most hit QB in the NFL in 2022.
The backup jobs are where things could get interesting, and Snyder has a chance. Oli Udoh apparently moved to guard, leaving Vederian Lowe and Blake Brandel the top two options at backup tackle. Udoh will compete with Chris Reed and Austin Schlottmann for interior backup spots. The Vikings also employ Alen Ali, Josh Sokol, Jacky Chen, and Sam Schlueter along the offensive line.
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