Former Vikings Playmaker Cut by Cardinals
A fun-loving former Minnesota Vikings tight end named Nick Muse is back on the unemployment wire, cast off by the Arizona Cardinals this week and looking for work, with the NFL eight weeks into the regular season.
The NFL regular season is nearing the midpoint, and the Arizona Cardinals conducted some roster maintenance this week, cutting a former Vikings TE.
Muse signed with the Cardinals earlier this month, so his stay in Arizona lasted just three weeks.
Back to the Drawing Board for Ex-Vikings TE Nick Muse
No luck in Arizona for the long haul.
Cardinals Release Nick Muse
The short Muse experiment in Arizona is over. RotoWire announced, “The Cardinals cut Muse from the practice squad on Tuesday. Muse inked with Arizona’s practice squad Oct. 8 and ultimately wasn’t elevated for a single contest with the team. The 2022 seventh-round pick logged four regular-season appearances with the Vikings back in 2024.”
It’s back to square one for Muse, who will hope for some eventual staying power — somewhere.
3 Teams in 9 Months for Muse
The Eagles stole Muse from Minnesota’s practice squad on January 22, 2025. He didn’t play for the Eagles, but he earned a Super Bowl ring for his troubles just being on the roster. Soon after the Lombardi hoist, Muse signed a futures deal with the Eagles, a future that lasted six months. Amid roster shavedowns in August, Muse was the odd man out and looked for work.
It took about a month and a half, but Muse signed with Arizona on October 8th. Three weeks later, he’ll hit a familiar spot: free agency.
So, it’s the Vikings to Eagles to Cardinals to the open market since the start of 2025 for Mr. Muse.
Muse’s Time in Minnesota
Muse, a South Carolina alumnus, entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick in 2022 and has appeared in 16 regular season games, recording one reception for 22 yards.
During his collegiate career, he produced 805 receiving yards across 31 games from 2019 to 2021. Minnesota elevated Muse to the gameday roster three times late in the 2024 season, though the Vikings ended up releasing him three separate times.
Coming out of college in 2022, SI.com scouted Muse: “In-line tight end who was a major part of South Carolina’s rushing attack, being trusted to make key blocks. As a blocker, Muse shows very good willingness and consistent competitiveness. His strength is above average which also helps him fight through contact in his routes. Muse has proactive hands to prevent coverage defenders from getting into his frame and bumping him. He can adjust quickly to off-target passes.”
“Below-average speed and explosiveness prevent Muse from being a threat up the seam. He is an upright route runner who lacks suddenness in and out of his breaks causing him to struggle to separate. As a blocker, his base can get narrow. Muse is unable to maintain blocks against opponents with active hands. He fails to reach and seal the backside defensive end.”
The Cardinals’ TEs without Muse
With Muse off the roster altogether, the Cardinals will utilize these tight ends for the rest of the season:
- Trey McBride
- Elijah Higgins
- Josiah Deguara
- Pharaoh Brown (Practice Squad)
- Tip Reiman (Injured Reserve)
- Travis Vokolek (Injured Reserve)
McBride ranks fourth in the NFL among all tight ends with 421 receiving yards. Only Tyler Warren, Travis Kelce, and Tucker Kraft have outperformed McBride through the air.
Cardinals at No. 24 in NFL.com Power Rankings
Ranking one spot below the Vikings, NFL.com‘s Eric Edholm calls Arizona the league’s ninth-worst team entering Week 9, explaining, “They’ll have had the bye week and an extra day to prepare for next Monday’s game at Dallas, which feels like a must-win. The Cardinals have dropped five straight by a total of 13 points, but that hasn’t made the losing any easier.”
“That Cards fans now seem to be more behind Jacoby Brissett, who started the past two losses, over Kyler Murray, the presumptive starter once his foot injury is healed, is quite telling. It’s imperative for Murray to regain ownership of this offense and this team down the stretch, or he could enter the offseason with serious questions swirling over his future in Arizona. He’ll have to do it against arguably the NFL’s toughest remaining schedule, which includes six of 10 games on the road.”
The Muse-less Cardinals face the Dallas Cowboys this week on Monday Night Football and are expected to lose by two or three points.
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