The NFL is a fast lane at times.
Former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Pat Elflein signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, a depth addition with roster trimdowns about three weeks away.
The Athletic‘s David Lombardi tweeted, “The 49ers signed veteran OL Pat Elflein, who has started at all three interior line positions over his 64 NFL starts. SF is facing injury issues up front, with Spencer Burford, Jon Feliciano, Jake Brendel and Aaron Banks all dealing with issues.”
The following correspondence from Elflein — mere hours later — involved injury, as the brand new 49er is now hurt. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said about Elflein, “We think he pulled his calf. He did it in individual drills. I didn’t get to see it or anything, but I was told that. So we think it was a calf.”
Elflein, 30, now hits the shelf with an unknown return timetable.
The Vikings selected Elflein in Round 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft from Ohio State. And from 2017 to 2019, he played in 90 percent of all Vikings games and made the rounds positionally on the team’s offensive line.
In 2020, Elflein succumbed to a thumb injury and hit injured reserve. He healed up, but the Vikings dropped him soon after. Here’s his career resume to date:
The lineman performed quite well in 2017, even earning placement on Pro Football Writers Association‘s All-Rookie team. Fans were ecstatic about his trajectory and considered the center position all figured out for the long haul.
In 2018, however, Elflein’s production plunged — so much that then-general manager Rick Spielman used a 1st-Round pick on center named Garrett Bradbury in the 2019 NFL Draft. That was the beginning of the end for Elflein in purple, though Minnesota tried him out at guard with little success.
Now, the 49ers and Elflein will hope the injury isn’t too severe and perhaps expedite his return to action as the preseason begins for most NFL teams next weekend.
San Francisco waived lineman Briason Mays to make room for Elflein.
The 49ers also employ former Vikings Joshua Dobbs (QB) and T.Y. McGill (DT)
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.