Vikings Cut Ties with Fastest Player on Team
At least one surprise always emerges from the Minnesota Vikings’ roster trimdowns, and 2024 was no different.
Vikings Cut Ties with Fastest Player on Team
The team will reportedly waive or trade running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu, who performed quite well during the preseason.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted Tuesday, “The Vikings are moving on from RB/KR Kene Nwangwu, per source. He’ll be cut or traded by today’s deadline.”
The move also dwindles Minnesota’s running back room to two players: Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will evidently scour the free-agent market this week for a prospective RB3.
Most Vikings-themed roster predictions labeled Nwangwu as safe, mainly because of his speed — he was the fastest player on the team — kick-returning acumen, and the franchise’s need for an RB3. The theories were wrong.
Nwangwu’s role was actually minimized last year when players and teams were afforded the option to take the football at the 25-yardline on kick-offs, no matter what, with a fair catch signal. Fast forward to 2024, and Nwangwu is the odd man out, even with revised kick-return rules.
One of the fastest players in the NFL, Vikings faithful have longed for Nwangwu’s inclusion in the team’s offense for the last two years because of his speed, but the wish was not granted. The Iowa State alumnus touched the ball 33 times on offense for 88 yards from scrimmage in his career, not exactly a productive resume for a player with three seasons in the books.
Minnesota scooped Nwangwu out of the 4th Round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he’s returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in three years. His kick return touchdown on Thanksgiving night versus the New England Patriots in 2022 was a game-saver for Minnesota. The Vikings forced no turnovers against Bill Belichick’s team, curiously couldn’t stop quarterback Mac Jones — he looked like Tom Brady for a night — leaving Nwangwu’s heroics as the seesaw that swung the game.
Nwangwu will have no problems latching onto another NFL team. General managers and coaches rarely give up on speed across the board, especially that of a 26-year-old. If the Vikings’ trade desires are successful, Nwangwu would likely fetch a late-round conditional pick, though it’s significantly more likely that the speedster will be waived sometime Tuesday afternoon.
Would-be kick returners not named Nwangwu listed on the Vikings’ depth chart? Running back Ty Chandler and wide receiver Brandon Powell.
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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