These 4 Ex-Vikings Remain Unsigned with Training Camp Afoot
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings underwent significant change this offseason, parting ways with men like Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, Patrick Peterson, and Dalvin Tomlinson, among others, while onboarding notable free agents like Marcus Davenport, Byron Murphy, and Josh Oliver.
These 4 Ex-Vikings Remain Unsigned with Training Camp Afoot
Most of the departed players found new places of employment, but a handful are still looking for jobs. These are those ex-Vikings from the 2022 roster listed in alphabetical order.
1. Dalvin Cook (RB)
By far the most prominent name on this list, Cook is waiting out the first half of the summer to examine running backs’ lay of the land in free agency.
And it isn’t going well.
Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard didn’t secure contract extensions and instead live on the player-dreaded franchise tag. If general managers won’t pay those three players hefty satchels of cash, Cook won’t break the bank either.
Still, Cook will sign somewhere before too long, and the frontrunners for his services include the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Miami Dolphins.
2. Thomas Hennigan (WR)
This 2022 Vikings practice squader was released this offseason and is probably the least likely to latch on elsewhere.
The Appalachian State alumnus impressed in college, tallying 242 receptions for 3,124 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns in five years. Hennigan was also an experienced special teams contributor, so if he were going to join a team’s roster at any time, that would be the reason. Hennigan also set an FBS record of 65 games started as a Mountaineer.
3. Bisi Johnson (WR)
Once upon a team, Bisi Johnson was the Vikings WR3. The year was 2019, and in those days, the Vikings offense generally ‘didn’t care’ much about WR3 production.
Then, however, Johnson encountered back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2021 and 2022 and was not a priority by the Vikings front office for a fifth season.
He worked out for the New England Patriots earlier this offseason, but no deal materialized.
4. Kenny Willekes (EDGE)
Another Viking affected by numerous injuries, Willekes was fruit of the Stefon Diggs trade, at least through draft picks, with the Buffalo Bills in 2020.
Willekes has played six career games, all in 2021, and tabulated 2.5 sacks in 202 defensive plays. He turned 26 in July, and it’s a little weird that he’s not on some team’s 90-man roster.
If you never hear anything from Willekes again, it will have been the injury bug as the culprit.
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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.
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