Vikings News: Anthony Barr is returning to Minnesota

Even though it's just a practice squad signing, one of the biggest Minnesota Vikings news headlines of the day features Anthony Barr returning to the Twin Cities.

There has been plenty of Minnesota Vikings news during the last few weeks as the team has made a complete turnaround after their 0-3 start this season. But the Vikings made another headline on Monday when they reportedly signed free-agent linebacker Anthony Barr, according to multiple reports.

Barr, who spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with Minnesota, will start on the Vikings' practice squad in his second stint with the franchise.

Last season, Barr appeared in 14 games as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. He has been a free agent since the start of the 2022 offseason, and now he could potentially finish his career where it began.

Why did the Minnesota Vikings sign Anthony Barr?

With how well Minnesota's defense has been playing, why did they feel the need to go out and add another linebacker to their roster?

Well, during the Vikings' win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Minnesota linebacker Jordan Hicks injured his shin, and he is expected to be out for at least one game.

So, following Hicks' injury, the Vikings clearly felt they needed to add another experienced player to their linebacker room. Barr showed he could still make some plays last season with the Cowboys, so the former Minnesota first-round pick is returning to the place where he became a multi-time Pro Bowler.

Barr will begin his latest stint with the Vikings on the team's practice squad in order to get some time to adjust to the team's defensive scheme. There are some similarities to the scheme he excelled in when Mike Zimmer was Minnesota's head coach, but there are some big differences as well.

It's possible that Barr could be active for the Vikings' upcoming Week 11 game against the Denver Broncos next Sunday, especially with Minnesota linebacker Brian Asamoah also dealing with an injury. But even if he is, the Vikings will likely do their best to limit his snaps at first and allow him to ease into the flow of the defense.