Vikings Reinforce Secondary with Reunion Signing
The Vikings reinforced the roster with the most recent signing, one aimed at giving DC Brian Flores greater resources in the secondary. Or, at least, shuffling around the secondary to better suit what Minnesota is looking for going into these final six games.
According to the team’s official social media, safety Kahlef Hailassie has been brought back: “The #Vikings have signed S Kahlef Hailassie to the practice squad.” The decision to bring the defender back to town comes on the heels of moving on from a corner. Earlier, Minnesota decided to show corner Shemar Bartholomew the door, creating an opening on the practice squad that has been filled.
Vikings Reinforce Secondary by Signing Kahlef Hailassie
If there’s some ignorance about Hailassie, fret not. He was a depth option competing for a roster spot in the most recent offseason. Not a household name necessarily, but someone who appears to have made an impression.
Standing at 6’1″ and weighing 195 pounds, Hailassie entered the NFL in 2023. He did so as an undrafted corner for the Chiefs. There was then a chance with the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and Jacksonville Jaguars. There’s now a reunion taking place; Hailassie is back for his second stint with the Vikings to again get a shot at proving that he can help.
The defender has had some playing time in his career.
In 2023, Hailassie played in nine games, starting a single time. He had 8 tackles, including 1 tackle for loss. So, too, was there a pass defended. And then in 2024, Hailassie got into a game. Add it all together and the defensive back has played in 105 defensive snaps and 110 special teams snaps.
He is still only 25.
In Minnesota, Kahlef Hailassie is facing an uphill battle to get onto the field. The safety room is stuffed full. Leading things are Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus (recently injured), Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, and Tavierre Thomas. No doubt, that’s a lot of players to overcome to get onto the field.
Working in his favor is that the Vikings’ corner position is remarkably thin. Rostered are just a trio of options: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Fabian Moreau. Even more discouraging is that Murphy hasn’t been playing particularly well.
On PurplePTSD, Janik Eckardt discussed the safety’s journey: “Hailassie joined the Vikings in January, signing a futures contract once the franchise was eliminated from the postseason. He remained on the roster throughout the offseason, was cut on August 26th (cutdown day), and re-signed to the practice squad shortly thereafter. Three weeks later, the Jaguars poached him.”
And then some of the preseason promise: “His most memorable Vikings day came in the preseason, when he intercepted a couple of passes against the Houston Texans, fresh off a move from cornerback to safety. That shift came out of necessity. The Vikings were a safety short and decided to give the third-year defender a shot.”
In theory, Minnesota could have asked him to come back as a corner, but the social media post does say “S.” As a result, he’s likely to be tasked with safety duties.
Good chance, folks, that Hailassie doesn’t work his way onto the field. What could happen, though, is a turn to the depth option if the season continues to spiral.
So long as there’s even a small chance of getting into the postseason, the Vikings will work toward the unlikely goal. The basic reality, though, is that sitting at 4-7 means possessing next to no chance of the playoffs. Upon getting officially eliminated, the Vikings may shift toward developing players for the future. Does that mean bumping up Kahlef Hailsassie?
Next up for the Vikings is a road game versus the Seahawks. Very few expect a win, but maybe the new addition will help.
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