Former Viking Signs with Saints
The New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings are in the same boat in 2024 — both franchises have around +8000 odds to win the Super Bowl in February.
Former Viking Signs with Saints
And with the regular season less than six weeks away, New Orleans signed Jesse Davis, a former Vikings lineman, on Sunday.
ESPN’s Field Yates tweeted, “The Saints have signed veteran OL Jesse Davis and placed OT Justin Herron on IR.”
That’s seven teams in nine years for Davis, who will now vie for a 53-man roster spot, which will be determined for all NFL teams on August 27th. Here’s Davis’ career resume to date:
- Seattle Seahawks (2015)
- New York Jets (2016)
- Miami Dolphins (2016–2021)
- Minnesota Vikings (2022)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2022)
- San Francisco 49ers (2023)
Davis saw action briefly in 2023, playing just one game for the 49ers, a Week 12 contest at Seattle, where he grabbed five special teams snaps. He’ll hope to serve as a primary backup this year on New Orleans’ depth chart. Stay tuned.
Davis was the right tackle for the Miami Dolphins in 2021, playing 92% of all offensive snaps. He was an undrafted free agent from the 2015 draft class from the University of Idaho, arriving in Miami for on-the-field playing time and remaining for five seasons.
During his first two years in Miami, he played at right guard as the starter (2017 and 2018). From 2017 to 2021, Davis was on the field for at least 90% of the Dolphins offensive snaps each season. The veteran lineman hasn’t played an offensive snap in the regular season since 2021.
Davis joined the Vikings via free agency in March 2022, a possible plan to help stop the longstanding OL woes in Minnesota. But he was only theoretical, at least per regular season contribution, as Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah shipped Davis to the Pittsburgh Steelers three months later for a conditional 7th-Round pick.
The Steelers then used Davis in 14 games in 2022, all special teams snaps, a total of 58. Davis embarked on free agency in 2023 but signed with no team until November of that season, the 49ers contract.
This is Davis’ PFF resume since 2017:
- 2015 = DNP on Offense
- 2016 = DNP on Offense
- 2017 = 52.5
- 2018 = 59.2
- 2019 = 58.9
- 2020 = 62.6
- 2021 = 52.5
- 2022 = DNP on Offense
- 2023 = DNP on Offense
It is unclear if the Saints plan to utilize Davis at tackle or guard; the man can play both positions.
The Saints also employ ex-Vikings offensive tackle Oli Udoh.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.