Vikings Boot 2 Players Off Roster
The lead-up to the NFL draft has captivated Minnesota Vikings fans’ attention, an event that kicks off from Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday night.
Vikings Boot 2 Players Off Roster
But before that, Minnesota took care of roster business this week, offloading two players: special teams contributor NaJee Thompson and offensive tackle Trevor Reid.
Both men, apparently still battling long injury recoveries, departed the organization this week and won’t be a part of the team’s immediate spring and summer plans.
Special Teamer NaJee Thompson Dropped
That’s a wrap, at least for a while, on NaJee Thompson’s career in Minnesota. NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper wrote Wednesday: “The Vikings trimmed their roster a bit on Wednesday. They announced that they have waived defensive back Najee Thompson. The move came with a failed physical designation. Thompson signed with the Vikings after going undrafted in 2023 and played in 15 games for the team during his rookie season.”
“He spent last season on their injured reserve list. Almost all of Thompson’s playing time as a rookie came on special teams. He recorded seven tackles and a fumble recovery in that action.”
Thompson actually tweeted a goodbye on Tuesday night, using X for his farewell, a post that caught fans off guard.
When Thompson was lost for the season last summer, he tweeted this optimistic update: “At the end of the day Thank god ❤️ I’ll be back soon this is just a pause in the journey God has prepared for me! Thank yall for the support means a lot! Much love and good luck to my brothers out on the field this year #36 out for no. Skol.”
The recovery will take longer than he hoped.
OT Trevor Reid Gone, Too
And Thompson wasn’t alone.
NBC Sports‘ Charean Williams detailed Reid’s release on Tuesday: “The Vikings waived offensive lineman Trevor Reid with a non-football injury, the team announced Tuesday. Reid signed with the Vikings in January after a season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League. He also had workouts with the Colts and Bengals before joining Minnesota.”
“He started all 18 regular-season games and the Western semifinal for the Riders, and the team nominated him for the league’s most outstanding rookie award. The Riders own his CFL rights through February 2026.”
Vikings fans weren’t expecting too many roster releases just days before the draft because most measures are about increasing the depth chart to 90 players ahead of the summer. Minnesota is evidently making room for rookies and undrafted free agents.
Williams added about Reid’s background: “Reid signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and spent training camp with the Falcons that season. Reid played three seasons (2020-2022) at Louisville.”
Thompson with the Vikings
Thompson served as Minnesota’s special teams ace in 2023, an undrafted free-agent discovery by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after the draft that year. Like most UDFAs, folks weren’t sure if he’d make the team in 2023, but Thompson promised as such on X and later delivered during roster trimdowns.
He stayed on the roster for the entirety of the 2023 campaign and projected to be a part of the 2024 club, too. But then injuries rattled his 2024 summer, and he missed the whole season.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said about Thompson and his special teams unit during the 2023 preseason: “We knew his ability as a special teams player in that Matthew Slater-esque quality of speed, power, smarts, toughness, all those things. We are trying to figure out if a player like NaJee can fit in a really competitive room and ultimately how he shows his best effort, not only as a defensive back, but what he did the other night. I mean flash on special teams — you constantly see him around the football. We talk a lot about getting 11 purple hats to the ball in that phase.”
“I thought our special teams unit … they were kind of able to sustain and steal us some yards here and there by execution. Ryan Wright hitting a good backed-up punt, and our ability, NaJee, on that one to cover down and make that play was a big deal, whether it was a preseason game or not. I’m always watching how our team is handling complementary phases of football. Whether it’s our starters out there or not, that’s our team collectively trying to manage that together, pick each other up when we need to.”
Thompson was a darling among Vikings coaches, making his release all the more saddening and surprising.
Trevor Reid’s Background
Reid had just joined the purple roster in January after a successful stint in the Canadian Football League with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Most onlookers pegged him as a reservist lineman who could battle for a 53-man roster spot in August, and if he ultimately missed the cut, perhaps a practice squad assignment.
His NFL future is now in jeopardy.
Reunions Down the Line
It’s worth noting that the Vikings and other NFL teams are no strangers to reunion contracts. Thompson, especially, could be re-signed somewhere down the line.
Folks will monitor his injury status, along with Reid, throughout the spring and summer.
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