3 Vikings Are Out
The Minnesota Vikings undertook a little bit of roster maintenance on Tuesday, which turned some heads because the club cut ties with wide receiver Lucky Jackson, running back Xazavian Valladay, and another wideout, Tim Jones.
The Minnesota Vikings cut ties with three players on Tuesday, making room for Jordan Addison and new running back Corey Kiner.
Such moves are not uncommon, but many thought the Vikings had big plans for Jackson especially as recently as one month ago.
Vikings Drop 3 Players amid Roster Maintenance
It’s out with the old, and in with the new.
WR Lucky Jackson Dropped from Practice Squad
Most hardcore followers of the Vikings didn’t know that Jackson would be the low man on the totem pole.
But Minnesota evidently disagreed, and Vikings.com‘s Craig Peters wrote Tuesday, “The Vikings opened Week 4 with a series of roster moves. Minnesota on Tuesday announced it has terminated the contract of receiver Tim Jones, who joined the Vikings this offseason.”
“Jones played 25 special teams snaps and six offensive snaps in Minnesota’s first two games of 2025. The team also released receiver Lucky Jackson and running back Xazavian Valladay from its practice squad.”
Jackson seriously turned heads during 2025 training camp and in a couple of preseason games, enough to contend with the mythological “Mr. Mankato” award, which UDFA quarterback Max Brosmer arguably won. At times, Jackson felt like a shoo-in for the regular season roster, mainly because Jordan Addison would miss the season’s first three games, Justin Jefferson was bothered by a hamstring injury, and Rondale Moore tore his ACL in early August.
In the end, Jackson did not make the 53-man roster, and some three weeks into the regular season, he’ll hit free agency.
RB Xazavian Valladay Out
Valladay joined Minnesota’s roster as a depth running back late in the summer, coming aboard on August 19th in a move many believed was merely another RB body for the final preseason game.
A week later, Valladay was predictably dropped amid roster trimdowns, but the Vikings quickly added him back to the practice squad. All told, his purple career, at least for now, lasted slightly over a month.
Valladay thrived in college, posting 5,346 yards from scrimmage in four years at Wyoming and one at Arizona State from 2018 to 2022. Valladay also banked 39 total touchdowns. He logged 99 yards from scrimmage per game at both schools before turning pro.
Goodbye to WR Tim Jones
Primarily a special teams addition, Minnesota signed Jones in March, and he stayed connected to the roster orbit for six months.
During free agency, the Vikings lost wide receiver Trent Sherfield to the Denver Broncos, and most envisioned Jones as the Sherfield replacement plan. Jones has played hopscotch, at times, in the last six months with the Vikings roster, cut at the end of August, but quickly re-signed to the practice squad. He may be gone for good this time.
Jones spent four seasons in Jacksonville, though he didn’t see a regular season field until the 2022 campaign. He’s totaled 17 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown on 27 targets in 51 career contests. Jones has also fielded a couple of kick returns here and there, and some fans thought he could contend for that role in Minnesota. Undrafted rookie wideout Myles Price had other plans.
The New Guys
Jordan Addison is back from a three-game suspension, and he’ll obviously command a roster spot. The electric wideout will make his season debut this Sunday in Ireland against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Meanwhile, Minnesota signed running back Corey Kiner this week to its practice squad. Peters noted on that transaction, “The Vikings signed running back Corey Kiner to their practice squad. Kiner, 23, entered the NFL this spring as an undrafted free agent with San Francisco out of Cincinnati, where he played in 34 games and rushed 477 times for 2,562 yards and 14 touchdowns with the Bearcats.”
It’s Addison and Kiner in, with Jackson, Valladay, and Jones out.
More on Corey Kiner
Our Ted Schwerzler remarked on Kiner: “Beyond just the addition of Addison, Minnesota has also added running back Corey Kiner to the practice squad. A rookie this season, Kiner played 12 games for Cincinnati last year. He rushed for 1,153 yards on 204 carries (5.7 yards per attempt) and found the end zone four times.”
“Kiner’s addition to the practice squad gives Minnesota some flexibility. They recently re-signed Cam Akers after veteran Aaron Jones was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Ty Chandler is also on injured reserve, so the only 53-man roster running backs are Jordan Mason and Zavier Scott.”
Finally, the aforementioned Jackson had been within the organization since 2023, so if this is it, it’s the end of a mini-era in Minnesota for the guy with a catchy first name.
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