Minnesota Vikings sign offensive lineman, place Nick Easton on IR

The Minnesota Vikings have officially played interior offensive lineman Nick Easton on injured reserve and have signed another lineman to the team’s roster.

The moment fans knew was coming finally happened on Monday, August 13, 2018 when the Minnesota Vikings placed interior offensive lineman Nick Easton on injured reserve, likely ending his season.

Easton was slated to be team’s starting left guard this year after being the team’s best pass blocking lineman last season. However, a neck injury forced him to undergo a procedure that will keep him out of action.

To fill his spot on the roster, the Vikings announced a transaction on the team’s official website, revealing the signing of Kaleb Johnson.

Johnson is a guard who has played with the Ravens, Browns, Cardinals, Chiefs, and Bears since being an undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2015. He spent a small amount of time on the Baltimore roster during his rookie season but has been delegated to offseason, preseason, or practice squad action otherwise.

Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 320 pounds, the 25-year-old offensive lineman has the size to get the job done and proved his worth at the collegiate level where he was an honorable mention All-Big Ten guard in 2014 and Freshman All-American in 2011.

It’s no surprise to see the Vikings bringing in another offensive lineman after placing Easton on IR. The team is searching for talented players to fill key roles as both starters, backups, depth, and even on the practice squad in case of emergency, so getting a look at a young, talented lineman makes a lot of sense for the franchise.

With injuries to Easton, Pat Elflein, and Mike Remmers creating openings for offensive linemen to prove themselves during practice and the preseason, this could be an opportunity for Johnson to land on his feet with an NFL franchise, or even be on call in the event of an emergency.

Congratulation to Kaleb Johnson for signing a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. In addition, we at The Viking Age would like to wish a full and speedy recovery to Nick Easton and hope he can return next season to help the team on the offensive line.