Former Vikings RB to reportedly meet with AFC East team on Monday

It's been more than a handful of days since the Minnesota Vikings decided to move on from running back and kick returner Kene Nwangwu. The former Vikings fourth-round pick hasn't landed a new team yet, but that could change soon, as he will reportedly meet with the New York Jets on Monday, according to KSTP's Darren Wolfson (via SKOR North's Judd Zulgad on X).

After parting with Minnesota last week, Nwangwu was originally claimed by the New Orleans Saints. However, he ended up failing his physical with the Saints, and they decided to pass on adding him to their roster. Will things go differently for Nwangwu in his meeting with the Jets on Monday?

Former Minnesota Vikings RB Kene Nwangwu to reportedly meet with New York Jets

Coming off of a preseason in which he averaged 8.1 yards per rushing attempt, the Vikings moving on from Nwangwu last week was a bit of a surprise to some.

But despite his success in the 2024 preseason, his departure probably shouldn't have been too surprising, as he only accumulated a total of 14 carries in his final two years in Minnesota with Kevin O'Connell as his head coach.

Nwangwu has excelled as a kick returner in his NFL career (27.6 yards per kick kick return since 2021), but it seems like the Vikings wanted a returner for the 2024 season who could also be useful on the offensive side of the ball as a running back or wide receiver. That's not something the former fourth-round pick was able to provide during his three years with Minnesota.

So instead of playing out the final season of his contract with the Vikings uniform, Nwangwu will have spend the 2024 campaign in a different uniform.

It will be interesting to see if he winds up signing with New York or not. The Jets already have a talented return specialist in wide receiver Xavier Gipson, but maybe the team would like to get him more involved on offense this season and reduce his role as a specialist.

If this is the case, then Nwangwu might immediately get a spot on New York's active roster. If not, then signing to the Jets' practice squad is probably the best bet for the former Minnesota running back heading into Monday's visit.

More Vikings News and Analysis