Vikings Could Soon Add Speed
That’s his damn name — Ameer Speed — and he could become a Minnesota Viking soon.
For starters, the Minnesota Vikings defense has dazzled out of the gate in 2024, so much so that the club has an unexpected 2-0 record after toppling the New York Giants by 22 points in Week 1 and upsetting the San Francisco 49ers last weekend.
Vikings Could Soon Add Speed
And this week, the franchise conducted a few roster moves, signing offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson for the practice squad, promoting running back Myles Gaskin to the active roster, tossing tight end Nick Muse on injured reserve, and releasing offensive lineman Ricky Lee II.
Minnesota also auditioned free-agent cornerback Ameer Speed. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweeted Wednesday, four days before the Vikings host the undefeated Houston Texans: “The Vikings hosted defensive back Ameer Speed for a visit.”
The Indianapolis Colts released Speed from the practice squad earlier this week, and if all goes well for the young defender, he could be a Viking before too long.
These are the Vikings cornerbacks heading into Week 3:
- Stephon Gilmore
- Byron Murphy
- Shaquill Griffin
- Akayleb Evans
- Fabian Moreau
- Dwight McGlothern
- Nahshon Wright (Practice Squad)
Second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon is on injured reserve for all of 2024 after tearing his ACL in July.
Speed — aptly named because he ran a 4.34 forty leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft — was a 6th-Round selection by the New England Patriots 17 months ago. He lasted in New England for about six months, released last October when the Colts promptly scooped the speedster. Speed played 13 regular season games as a rookie, tabulating 227 special teams snaps altogether for the Patriots and Colts while experiencing playing time on just 12 defensive snaps. He should be viewed as a “special teams guy” at this point in his young career.
The defender played college ball at the University of Georgia from 2017 to 2021 and won a National Championship with Lewis Cine in January 2022. He then transferred to Michigan State for his final collegiate campaign.
NFL Draft Buzz said about Speed during the 2023 draft cycle: “Good hustle player who puts himself in the action when he’s not directly involved. Knows how to use his height and vertical leap” and “His ball skills are very good. Speed tracks the ball well downfield and has the hands and coordination to come away with interceptions even when Speed isn’t targeted often.”
Speed is big, too — that’s the modus operandi for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ preferred corners — at 6’3″ and 215 pounds.
Fans should learn if Speed parlays the tryout into a contract within the next few days.
Speed will turn 24 next month.
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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