The Minnesota Vikings elevated Kyle Van Noy from the practice squad for a third time, giving him another game in their edge rotation, as well as safety Tavierre Thomas, for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If they want him on the field again after this week, they’ll need to find him a spot on the 53-man roster.
Minnesota signed punter Johnny Hekker to the 53-man roster and placed center Nick Samac on injured reserve. Samac’s move opened a spot for Hekker, leaving Van Noy’s longer-term roster question unanswered. Van Noy got the call against Green Bay and Chicago, too. The Viking Age covered his second elevation last week, when Minnesota still had one temporary move available. Now it’s used all three.
A temporary elevation isn’t a permanent promotion. Van Noy will return to the practice squad after the game under the NFL’s elevation rules. The Vikings can keep him there, but they can’t simply call him up a fourth time. Another team could also sign him to its active roster while he’s on Minnesota’s practice squad.
Brian Flores has turned to Kyle Van Noy for Minnesota Vikings’ reserve edge snaps
Van Noy has played 43 defensive snaps in two games. Chaz Chambliss and Bo Richter, the other reserve edge rushers on the 53, haven’t played a defensive snap. That’s a small sample, and it doesn’t write off either younger player. It does tell us Brian Flores has wanted Van Noy behind Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel when the games count.
Kevin O’Connell described what he wanted from Van Noy before the opener: “That bigger-body role that can do a lot of different things is gonna be an integral piece for us.” Van Noy has worked with Flores in New England and Miami. At 35, he doesn’t need to be the Vikings’ best pass rusher to help them. He can give Turner and Van Ginkel a breather and still hold up when the defense needs him.
Two games don’t guarantee Van Noy a season-long job. Minnesota might need a roster spot elsewhere as injuries and matchups change. Flores has leaned on Van Noy for the reserve snaps, even though the Week 1 edge depth chart listed Chambliss and Richter behind the starters.
Cornerback depth could help Vikings make room for Van Noy
If the 53-man roster is full when Minnesota signs Van Noy, someone must come off it. The Vikings can’t move an active-roster player straight to the practice squad. A player with fewer than four accrued seasons must be waived, giving other teams a chance to claim him. A vested veteran released before the trade deadline becomes a free agent immediately. A waived player who goes unclaimed can then sign to an available practice squad spot, but his old team can't reserve one for him.
Zemaiah Vaughn is one potential candidate. He made the Vikings’ initial 53-man roster, but was inactive against both the Packers and Bears. Minnesota also has Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, and rookie Charles Demmings at cornerback. Vaughn hasn’t had a game-day role through two weeks, which puts his spot in play if the Vikings want Van Noy on the 53.
Waiving Vaughn could be a safe option since he'll likely clear waivers and return to the practice squad. The Vikings’ next roster decision will show how much they value keeping both Van Noy in the edge rotation and Vaughn’s place in the cornerback room.
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