Once-Promising Vikings Defender Signs with Patriots
The Minnesota Vikings have encountered tremendous luck from LSU players over the years; Danielle Hunter and Justin Jefferson can attest.
Once-Promising Vikings Defender Signs with Patriots
But a long-term relationship with the Vikings didn’t work out for defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy, an LSU alumnus — and now he’s a New England Patriot, says NFL Network.
Mike Garafolo tweeted Tuesday, “The Patriots are signing DT Jaquelin Roy to their practice squad after working him out yesterday, source says. Last year’s fifth-round pick of the Vikings heads to Foxboro.”
Minnesota said goodbye to Roy exactly two weeks ago amid roster trimdowns, and it didn’t take terribly long for the youngster to latch onto a storied franchise for a second chapter. With Jerod Mayo’s tutelage, Roy will hope to get back on track in the AFC East.
It’s worth noting that three prominent former Vikings have wound up in the AFC East in the last two weeks: Lewis Cine (S, Buffalo Bills), Kene Nwangwu (RB, New York Jets), Jaquelin Roy (DT, New England Patriots).
Roy played 31 games at LSU, tabulating 97 total tackles, 4 sacks, and 3 fumble recoveries. He joined the Tigers the year after Justin Jefferson left for the Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft. Last summer, Roy competed for playing time in the regular season and landed a 53-man roster spot. Some late-rounders spend their first season on a practice squad, but Roy avoided such a fate and appeared in 12 games as a rookie. He played 96 defensive snaps and tabulated 8 tackles. Roy also officially started one game.
The Vikings’ defense ranked 11th per DVOA in 2023, a 13-spot improvement from 2022 when the group checked in at No. 24 per the same metric. During the 2024 offseason, in addition to retaining the uber-aggressive Brian Flores as defensive coordinator, Minnesota added new defensive personnel: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, Jerry Tillery, Shaquill Griffin, and 1st-Round rookie Dallas Turner. There’s a decent chance that the Vikings will morph into a defense-first enterprise. Roy was the odd man out with all the new veteran additions.
That defense-first outlook, too, looked reasonable after the Vikings’ defense utterly stifled the New York Giants’ offense in Week 1, winning the NFC contest 28-6. In fact, Minnesota’s defense ranks second leaguewide per EPA/Play after Week 1, only trailing the New Orleans Saints.
In New England, Roy joins this DT room:
- Davon Godchaux
- Daniel Ekuale
- Eric Johnson II
- Jeremiah Pharms Jr.
- Trysten Hill (Practice Squad)
New England lost DTs Christian Barmore and Armon Watts before the start of the season, probably why the Roy depth is needed.
The Patriots also employ ex-Vikings players Vederian Lowe (OT), K.J. Osborn (WR), Jalen Reagor (WR), and the aforementioned Watts.
Vikings Re-Sign Beloved Defender
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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