Minnesota Vikings shuffle practice squad, make 6 transactions
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings released 3 players from their practice squad on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 and signed three players to replace them.
Having a backup plan is important in today’s NFL. There are many times that a player on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad can get an opportunity to be on the main roster following injuries, legal problem, illness, or personal matters.
But that also means that those same players can be released at the drop of a hat if the needs of the team change. That was the case on Tuesday, October 25, 2016 when the team made six transactions to change up their practice squad.
Here is a list of the moves the Minnesota Vikings made according to Vikings.com:
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Players Released
- Kyle Carter, tight end
- Brian Leonhardt, tight end
- Joel Stave, quarterback
Players signed to practice squad
- Sterling Bailey, defensive end
- Austin Shepherd, offensive line
- Cedric Thompson, defensive back
There are no real surprises in the releases. The Vikings are a very deep team when it comes to the tight end position and the likely return of Taylor Heinicke to the main roster eliminates the need for another practice squad passer.
On the other hand, bringing in Austin Shepherd should be a no-brainer for Minnesota. He’s familiar with the team and provides immediate depth if needed. Bailey and Thompson are likely more prospective signings and the team and evaluate them moving forward.
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The Minnesota Vikings may not ever need to call upon these players to bring them up to the main roster, but evaluating talent and having another option on the offensive line is something that can only help the team going forward. Best of luck to the players released, and The Viking Age wishes them the best of luck going forward.