The Vikings Quietly Re-Signed an Old Friend
Over the weekend, it was one man out, and another in for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings Quietly Re-Signed an Old Friend
Practice squad offensive guard Henry Byrd hit injured reserve, on tap to miss at least the next four games and perhaps longer.
Minnesota evidently needed offensive line depth, so it re-upped with little-known offensive tackle Coy Cronk.
The Vikings’ main social media team tweeted Friday, “The Vikings have signed T Coy Cronk to the practice squad and placed G Henry Byrd on Practice Squad – Injured.”
It’s Cronk’s second stint in Minnesota, initially signed in November 2023 for the same assignment — practice squad offensive line depth. Cronk stayed attached to Minnesota’s roster orbit until April 2024, even signing a futures deal with the franchise last January. But the Vikings dropped him eight months ago, and Cronk would sign with the Atlanta Falcons in October. He lasted a week and was released by the Falcons, who the Vikings just beat on Sunday, one week later.
Cronk is now a call-up away from the Vikings’ gameday roster and could be an option on Sundays if something happened injury-wise to Brian O’Neill, Cam Robinson, Walter Rouse, or David Quessenberry.
These are Minnesota’s offensive tackles following the Cronk signing:
- Brian O’Neill
- Cam Robinson
- David Quessenberry
- Walter Rouse
- Christian Darrisaw (IR)
- Jeremy Flax (IR)
Here’s Cronk’s NFL resume to date:
- Green Bay Packers (2021)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2021–2023)
- Minnesota Vikings (2023)
- Atlanta Falcons (2024)
- Minnesota Vikings (2024)
Cronk, an Indiana native, joined the NFL in 2021 as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers. He didn’t make it through the summer to Green Bay’s 2021 active roster, released during summer trimdowns three years ago.
He then joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in October 2021, staying until August 2023.
Before turning pro three years ago, Cronk spent three seasons at the University of Indiana from 2016 to 2018 and transferred to the University of Iowa for the 2020 collegiate campaign. He was a teammate of Sam LaPorta and Ihmir Smith-Marsette during his final season as a Hawkeye before making the jump to the NFL.
The Vikings next face the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football and will continue to start O’Neill and Robinson at offensive tackle. Minnesota is favored to defeat Chicago by a touchdown.
Cronk will turn 27 next month.
Promising Vikings Rookie Finally Debuts
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.