Vikings draft bust is getting another shot to play in the NFL
By Adam Patrick
Former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Willie Beavers recently agreed to a deal with the seventh NFL team of his career, the Washington Commanders.
During Rick Spielman’s tenure with the Minnesota Vikings as the franchise’s general manager, he made several attempts in the NFL Draft to find young prospects that could help improve the team’s offensive line.
In 2016, offensive lineman Willie Beavers was someone Spielman and the Vikings took a chance on with a fourth-round draft pick. Beavers, who spent his college career at Western Michigan, was never able to catch on in Minnesota though, and he was off of the team’s roster after just one season.
Since his departure from the Vikings, the former fourth-round pick has bounced around the league with five different teams including the New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Atlanta Falcons (he even returned to Minnesota for a brief stint in the middle of the 2017 season).
Well now, Beavers has been given the opportunity to play in the NFL by another team, the Washington Commanders. This will be the seventh team that the former Vikings offensive lineman has been a member of since entering the league in 2016.
Former Minnesota Vikings draft pick deserves credit for lasting in the NFL for as long as he has
Despite only appearing in a grand total of 11 snaps during his entire NFL career (all in 2016 with Minnesota), Beavers has found a way to remain in the league ever since he was drafted.
Most of his time in the NFL has been spent on practice squads, but he must be doing something right since teams continue to keep giving him a shot.
Will the Commanders be the team that Beavers finally gets to play meaningful snaps for? Or will his career in the NFL just continue to take place on another practice squad?