Vikings Activate Promising Rookie for Week 18
Sadly, the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 18 tilt with the Green Bay Packers will feel like a preseason game, as both teams have absolutely nothing to play for. And six days before the contest, Minnesota has made a preseason-adjacent move, activating rookie cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn from the practice squad.
Minnesota finally pulled the trigger on Vaughn, elevating the young corner as injuries and late-season snaps force the secondary to evolve in real time.
Fans will hope to get a peek at Vaughn, as Sunday will be prime territory to examine unsung players. The Packers may even rest all of their starters, according to reports.
Zemaiah Vaughn Gets His Week 18 Opportunity
Vaughn finally gets the gameday nod.
Vikings Press the Green Button on Vaughn
It’s go-time for Vaughn, alas.
CBS Sports reported Monday, “The Vikings signed Vaughn from the practice squad to the active roster Monday. Vaughn signed with the Vikings in May as an undrafted free agent and opted to stick around in Minnesota as a member of the team’s practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp.”
“He’ll be a part of the Vikings’ active roster for their regular-season finale against the Packers on Sunday and will give Minnesota a potential contributor on special teams while providing depth in the secondary.”
In a regular season when Fabian Moreau got the nod after CB3 Jeff Okudah’s injuries, fans wondered if Vaugh might get a turn. That answer is yes heading into Week 18.
The Revised CB Room
With Vaughn in the house on the active roster, here’s a look at Minnesota’s cornerback room entering Week 18:
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Fabian Moreau
- Dwight McGlothern
- Zemaiah Vaughn
Another defender, Tyrek Funderburk, also lives on the practice squad, and he’ll now be the sole cornerback among that group.
The Vikings were criticized during the summer and some of the regular season for suspect cornerback depth, with many wondering about the contingency plan if Murphy Jr. or Rodgers got hurt. In an advantageous twist of fate, that never happened, and only Okudah missed time. Moreau then filled in admirably at CB3, and Minnesota’s concerning cornerback depth turned into a nothingburger.
Defense, Special Teams, or Both?
Now — the question emerges about Vaughn’s role. There is no plan for the Vikings to rest starters like the Packers might, and in that situation, Vaughn isn’t a shoo-in to play on defense. If Minnesota had clinched a playoff spot, perhaps reserve players would see action, but that’s just not the case in 2025. Minnesota was eliminated from postseason contention when the Chicago Bears beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 15.
Therefore, while it’s possible for Vaughn to see some defensive action late in Sunday’s game, he will probably fill a special teams role. It’s also worth noting that he has Dwight McGlothern in front of him on the depth chart, another player fans have high hopes for in 2026.
UDFA Hype
A 6’3, 190-pounder coming out of Utah earlier this year, Vaughn went undrafted and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah added him to the undrafted free agent (UDFA) list, which has paid dividends for the Vikings in recent years.
Folks tracked Vaughn during training camp and in the preseason to see if he could steal a roster spot in a weak cornerback room, but the plan never came to fruition. So, Vaughn bided his time on the practice squad, and his patience will be rewarded on Sunday.
Our Kyle Joudry noted on Vaughn during the summer, “At 6’3″, Zemaiah Vaughn is the team’s tallest corner. No, that basic fact isn’t going to be enough to get him onto the team, but his length matters. The NFL is a matchup league. Proving capable of being able to dance with some of the league’s long-and-strong receivers will mean that Mr. Vaughn will have a long career.”
“Of course, there’s a long way to go before he proves capable of doing so, but the early signs are positive. The young corner is operating on a three-year agreement sitting at a total of $2,980,000. The key detail is simply that he snagged $249,000 guaranteed. It’s a beefy payday for an undrafted player, suggesting Minnesota was serious about bringing him in to compete for one of the vacant corner spots.”
Vaughn will turn 24 in April.
Joudry added, “Vaughn played in twelve games last season at Utah. He earned 40 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception (brought back for a score), and 5 passes defended. Continuing to shine will mean snagging the CB5 or CB6 job with the Vikings as he builds toward replicating some of those numbers as a pro.”
Look for jersey No. 34 on Sunday. That will be Vaughn — probably on special teams.
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