Vikings Drop 2 WRs from Roster
The Minnesota Vikings conducted a somewhat busy Tuesday, six days before a showdown with the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.
The franchise signed veteran outside linebacker Austin Bryant and promoted defensive tackle Sheldon Day from the practice squad.
Vikings Drop 2 WRs from Roster
The Vikings are 6-5 through Week 11, possessing a 78.0% probability of reaching the playoffs, according to ESPN. Minnesota lost last weekend at the Denver Broncos, but because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the San Francisco 49ers, the Vikings’ playoff odds barely moved.
And to make room for those aforementioned men, the Vikings cut ties — at least temporarily — with two wide receivers.
Dan Chisena
Chisena. 26, was released from the practice squad Tuesday after rejoining the Vikings a little over a month ago. Like Trishton Jackson — more on him shortly — Chisena could be added back to the practice squad before too long. Such is life for the Vikings during a regular season.
Chisena participated in 27 Vikings games from 2020 to 2022, with 496 snaps on special teams and 11 on offense. He was showcased much more frequently with the Mike Zimmer brand of Vikings on special teams but was retained via practice squad in 2022 when the team shaved the roster to 53 players.
Last year, with Kevin O’Connell in charge, Chisena’s special teams role was clearly diminished, seeing action on just 24 plays early in the season in games against the Bears and Washington Commanders. After that activation from the practice squad, that was it for Chisena on the active roster.
The former Nittany Lion is known for speed, speed, and more speed, logging a 4.32 forty-yard dash during the buildup to the 2020 NFL Draft. He was teammates with Saquon Barkley, Mike Gesicki, Micah Parsons, and Miles Sanders at Penn State.
Chisena joined the Steelers roster in January, where he remained for seven months. He was cut loose amid roster trimdowns in August and, seven weeks later, returned home in purple — until Tuesday.
Trishton Jackson
Jackson actually received playing time this season in Minnesota, a first-of-its-kind experience for the 25-year-old. He appeared in six games, fetching 4 targets in the passing game for 2 receptions and 9 yards. In Atlanta a few weeks ago, Jackson notably hauled in a two-point conversion reception from quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
Like many NFL teams, the Vikings tend to waive players for roster tweaks and add them back thereafter. We shall see if that fate awaits Jackson, a summer hero at times for Minnesota.
Jackson hasn’t quite caught on for a consistent roster spot through four seasons in the league. An undrafted free agent with the Rams in 2020, Jackson stayed on Los Angeles’ depth chart for about a year and a half before eventually landing with the Vikings in 2021. He’s impressed back-to-back Vikings coaching staffs and general managers.
He caught 66 passes for 1,023 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final season at Syracuse four years ago.
The releases of Chisena and Jackson could also be a signal for Justin Jefferson’s return. The phenom wideout is questionable this week and will either return for Monday Night Football against the Bears or after the bye week at the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Passtronaut Makes a Promise
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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