Former Viking Signs with Texans
Dustin Baker
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After tryouts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, and Seattle Seahawks in the last two weeks, former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Kris Boyd has finally found a new NFL landing spot.
Former Viking Signs with Texans
Boyd signed with the Houston Texans on Thursday, a practice squad gig for the veteran defender.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweeted, “Source: Texans signing former University of Texas and Vikings corner Kris Boyd to practice squad.”
Boyd gets a fresh start in the AFC and will be one injury or promotion away from Houston’s gameday roster. The Texans are 3-3 through Week 7 and have a 34% chance of reaching the postseason, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
The Arizona Cardinals released Boyd about three weeks ago, and it didn’t take long for the defender to latch on elsewhere. Boyd played in four Cardinals games this season, although all snaps occurred on special teams, Boyd’s niche. He didn’t see the field on defense in Arizona and will now hope for some regular season action in Houston. For the Vikings in 2022, Boyd played just 37 defensive snaps, head coach Kevin O’Connell’s first year on the job, but was a keynote special teams performer. He was on the field 82% of the time for special teams.
The Vikings discovered Boyd in the 7th Round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he’s played 58 games since. Boyd was utilized frequently in 2020 on defense — 343 defensive snaps — but aside from that campaign is mostly a special teams asset and a damn good one, at that. He survived the Vikings regime change from Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell 19 months ago — for a while, anyway.
This is the Texans CB room after the Boyd addition:
- Derek Stingley Jr. (IR)
- Shaquill Griffin
- Steven Nelson
- Tavierre Thomas
- Ka’Dar Hollman
- Grayland Arnold
- D’Angelo Ross (PS)
- Jason Verrett (PS)
- Cobi Francis (PS)
- Kris Boyd (PS)
Houston’s defense ranks 21st leaguewide through Week 7 per DVOA, sandwiched between the Los Angeles Rams (No. 20) and Atlanta Falcons (No. 22). The Texans travel to Carolina this weekend, a date between Houston QB C.J. Stroud and Panthers signal-caller Bryce Young, two men that were all the draft rage six months ago.
The Texans also employ former Vikings players Mike Boone (RB) and Case Keenum (QB).
Boyd turned 27 last month.
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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