Raiders Say Goodbye to Former Vikings Defender
You might be down bad if the 2-8 Las Vegas Raiders no longer need your services.
Raiders Say Goodbye to Former Vikings Defender
That’s the story for former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Lynch, who Las Vegas dropped on Tuesday. Lynch could still return to the practice squad, a verdict that will probably be rendered later this week.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweeted, “The Raiders release Blake Lynch, Trevon Wesco from the practice squad.”
Without Lynch, the Raiders will showcase these off-ball linebackers:
- Robert Spillane
- Divine Deablo
- Amari Burney
- Tommy Eichenberg
- Amari Gainer
- Kana’i Mauga
- Blake Masterson (IR)
Lynch will be free to sign anywhere in the NFL this week and should latch onto another team’s practice squad before too long if the Raiders don’t re-add him.
Here’s Lynch’s plentiful NFL resume to date:
- Minnesota Vikings (2020–2021)
- Arizona Cardinals (2022–2023)
- Los Angeles Chargers (2023)
- Seattle Seahawks (2024)
- Los Angeles Chargers (2024)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2024)
The Vikings found Lynch as an undrafted free agent before the pandemic season in 2020, and he stayed on the roster for a smidgen over two seasons (if one counts the 2022 preseason). In total, Lynch played 20 games for the Vikings while starting seven. He’s notched 51 total tackles, three passes defended, two sacks, a tackle for loss, and a QB hit since 2020.
The Baylor alumnus was on the Vikings’ roster bubble in 2022 but fell short to rookie Brian Asamoah and the aforementioned Dye. Lynch could’ve joined Minnesota’s 2022 practice squad, in theory, but the Vikings chose rookie linebacker William Kwenkeu instead.
Lynch did not play in any regular season games in 2022 but found action on 131 special teams snaps for the 2023 Chargers. In fact, the man hasn’t played a defensive snap since 2021 — Mike Zimmer’s swan-song season in Minnesota.
He recorded a 64.6 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021, though, and a 34.1 as a rookie in 2020 (the two seasons he actually played defense). He was a mainstay of the Vikings special teams unit in 2021, playing 342 snaps with that group. Perhaps special teams will eventually become his assignment somewhere for the long haul.
Las Vegas still employs former Vikings Ameer Abdullah (RB), Daniel Carlson (K), and Marcus Epps (S, IR).
Lynch has played 20 special teams snaps this season, his only action to date in 2024.
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.
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