The 7 Notable Former Vikings Cut by Other Teams This Week

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The Minnesota Vikings begin the regular season in eight days, traveling to New Jersey for a date with Daniel Jones’ New York Giants.

The 7 Notable Former Vikings Cut by Other Teams This Week

The team shaved its roster from 91 players to 53 on Tuesday, along with 31 other squads following suit.

And while Vikings fans were totally fixated on the purple team’s roster, these notable former Vikings didn’t make active rosters — and currently live on the free agent wire. They’re listed alphabetically.

1. Wyatt Davis (OG)

Once-Promising Viking Dropped by 4th Team in 2022
December 12, 2022; Glendale, Ariz; USA; Cardinals James Conner (6) and Wyatt Davis (66) take to the field against the Patriots at State Farm Stadium. NFL Cardinals Patriots 1213 New England Patriots At Arizona Cardinals. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK.

Cut By: Cleveland Browns

Minnesota drafted Davis in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Vikings fans were actually very excited about him. But the pick was wasted, and Davis has never latched on anywhere thereafter.

Cleveland cut him loose this week, and he’ll wait for a call from another team’s practice squad.

2. Greg Joseph

a new viking hero
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NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted Tuesday, “Kicker change in Green Bay: The Packers cut Anders Carlson, per source.”

This suggested that Joseph had won the 2024 kicking job. A day later, though, Green Bay sidestepped and dropped Joseph, as well. The Packers then added an undrafted free-agent kicker named Brayden Narveson. Carlson and Joseph performed so badly in the summer that a man without NFL experience won the battle. Sheesh.

3. T.Y. McGill (DT)

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Cut By: San Francisco 49ers

McGill played wonderfully for the Vikings in the 2022 preseason — before he was unceremoniously cut. He stuck around with the 49ers during their Super Bowl appearance but didn’t make the active roster in 2024.

4. Chris Reed (OG)

Viking Took
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Cut By: Houston Texans

Minnesota employed Reed last year, but once Dalton Risner entered the chat, Reed was mostly expendable. The Vikings then promoted Blake Brandel this offseason, leaving Reed as the odd man out. He didn’t make the team in Houston, either.

5. Irv Smith Jr. (TE)

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Cut By: Kansas City Chiefs

This once-promising playmaker didn’t even reach the Chiefs’ practice squad. And that was after firing up a dud season in Cincinnati. Smith Jr. might get one more audition somewhere, but his time in the NFL might be nearing a close. He simply hasn’t worked out.

6. Luiji Vilain (OLB)

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Cut By: Carolina Panthers

Vilain joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2022 — the year before Ivan Pace Jr. Fans had high hopes for Vilian, but the Panthers yanked him off the purple practice squad midseason 2023. Yet, Carolina doesn’t want him anymore. Vilain should get another practice squad job soon.

7. Joejuan Williams (CB)

Minnesota CB Joejuan Williams addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center on Thursday, July 27, 2023. Williams joined the Vikings via free agency in April 23 and was a 2nd-Round draft pick by Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots four years ago.

Cut By: New Orleans Saints

Williams might be the first man the Vikings call if an injury arises to one of Minnesota’s cornerbacks. He’s been in and out of the Vikings’ roster orbit for one year and didn’t make the September roster in New Orleans.

Not long ago, Williams was a 2nd-Round draft pick.


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 MIN 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.