Brian Asamoah Signs with Another New Team
Three teams in three weeks. That’s the latest on former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah.
Former Vikings linebacker Brian Asamoah has found another new team, continuing his NFL ride as fans watch where his career path takes him next.
The 3rd-Round pick from 2022 has encountered a busy remainder of the summer, finding employment in two spots since Minnesota waived the linebacker in mid-August.
Asamoah took his talents to Las Vegas this week.
Las Vegas Is the New Address for Brian Asamoah
Asamoah will bide his time and hope for an active roster spot down the road.
Brian Asamoah to the Raiders
Las Vegas made it official for Asamoah on Monday.
The team’s public relations team tweeted: “Raider roster moves: Signed LB Brian Asamoah II and QB Jeff Driskel to the practice squad. Released LB Matt Jones and S Trey Taylor from the practice squad.”
Asamoah recently latched on to the Tennessee Titans’ roster for about two weeks, and in fact, Asamoah played against the Vikings in the third and final preseason game.
Asamoah will wear No. 53 on the practice squad.
The Beginnings of a Journeyman’s Path
While Asamoah could, in theory, be called up to the Raiders’ active roster and bust out, his career appears to be heading toward a journeyman’s fate with practice squad assignments.
The Titans don’t feature formidable inside linebackers heading into 2025, and if there were a spot for Asamoah to find staying power on the active roster and inside an off-ball linebacker room, it would’ve been with the Titans.
So, Asamoah will wait patiently on Las Vegas’ practice squad and hope for an audition. A team can activate a practice squader three times in a season to the gameday roster before having to sign or release him.
Asamoah with the Vikings
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah extracted Asamoah from Round 3 of the notorious 2022 NFL Draft. Fans had big plans for him, and Asamoah even flashed brilliantly a few times during his rookie season, a year when Minnesota unexpectedly won 13 games before cratering in the postseason.
But then that was it.
In 2023 and 2024, defensive coordinator Brian Flores sidelined Asamoah, relegating the Oklahoma alumnus to special-teams-only duty and always promoting a different linebacker when injuries struck. It often felt like Minnesota went out of its way not to play Asamoah on defense. For example, when Jordan Hicks missed games in the 2023 campaign, Adofo-Mensah signed Anthony Barr instead of organically promoting Asamoah.
About a week and a half before roster trimdowns last month, Minnesota formally cut ties with Asamoah.
The Raiders’ Inside Linebackers
Las Vegas will get its regular season underway on Sunday, taking on the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Pete Carroll and friends will feature these inside linebackers:
- Germaine Pratt
- Elandon Roberts
- Jamal Adams
- Devin White
- Cody Lindenberg
- Tommy Eichenberg
- Brian Asamoah (PS)
Las Vegas also employs former Vikings kicker Daniel Carlson.
Janik Eckardt on Asamoah
Our own Janik Eckardt noted on Asamoah this week: “Asamoah likely needs a couple of those guys to suffer injuries, as harsh as that sounds, to have a realistic chance of making a gameday roster. Another opportunity would be that the special teams struggle. He has played a ton in that area.”
“In his rookie season, Asamoah actually showed some flashes when he rotated in for the starters Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks, but he still only logged 119 defensive snaps. A year later, Kendricks was axed, but Ivan Pace Jr. just snatched that starting spot from the sophomore. Since Flores was hired in the 2023 offseason, Asamoah couldn’t crack the defensive rotation.”
Asamoah has youth on his side. He turned 25 this offseason.
Eckardt continued, “The Vikings drafted him for Ed Donatell’s defense, but Flores was not impressed, preferring Kamu Grugier-Hill in 2024 and Eric Wilson this time. When Kobe King was drafted in April, Asamoah was pushed out and ultimately axed in August. In his three seasons with the Vikings, Asamoah appeared in 46 games and logged 30 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Most of his snaps in the past two years came on special teams.”
“He ultimately played 802 snaps in the third phase and only 188 on defense. As a former 66th overall pick, the linebacker will get some chances in the league, but it’s already his third team, and he needs to show some promise sooner rather than later.”
The Vikings will play the Raiders again in 2027.
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