Minnesota Vikings make peculiar roster move ahead of NFL trade deadline that could also be nothing
It’s an interesting back end of the roster move for the Minnesota Vikings that could both lead to something or nothing.
The Minnesota Vikings have put a lot of work into improving their offensive line depth. Minnesota added two offensive linemen after cutdown day heading into the regular season. Now one of them is gone: Guard Trevor Keegan is being released, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The timing is curious. The Vikings don’t have much offensive line depth, especially players who can also handle center. Keegan offered that flexibility. Cutting a body with that skill set suggests Minnesota has something else lined up, and three explanations make the most sense.
Michael Jurgens is likely the answer for the Vikings
The release most likely signals the return of Michael Juergens. The Vikings already designated Jurgens to return from injured reserve, and he has been practicing in recent weeks.
Minnesota selected Juergens in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he has made a few starts in the NFL. He is a natural center who can also play guard. That versatility gives him the same value Keegan offered, and Jurgens has more experience in this system.
It will be worth watching how the Vikings arrange the depth on their offensive line once Jurgens is activated. Of the three options, he is the most logical reason for the move.
An outside acquisition could be on the table
The second possibility is that Minnesota has an outside addition in mind, and that could mean a trade. The Vikings might target a lineman who could compete for a starting job right away instead of sitting on the bench as depth.
The front office has already shown it is willing to look outside the building. The Vikings were interested in Quentin Nelson, but they couldn’t reach a deal, and he ended up in Seattle. They did make multiple additions ahead of the season, including Keegan. There could be another offensive lineman or two available on the trade market, and freeing up a roster spot gives the Vikings room to act if the right one comes along.
DeeJay Dallas and the practice squad elevation rules
The third angle centers on running back DeeJay Dallas. Minnesota might choose to bring Dallas up to the active roster because of his work on special teams. He has been a valuable piece of that unit, and the Vikings clearly value what he brings in the third phase.
The roster rules complicate that. A practice squad player can only be elevated a certain number of times. After the third elevation, a team can no longer bring him up that way and has to sign him to the active roster. A team can sign that player to the active roster and then send him back down to the practice squad, which resets the process.
If the Vikings want to keep Dallas available on game days, opening a spot on the 53-man roster is the cleanest way to manage it. Keegan’s spot could be the one that makes that possible.
Whichever reason is driving the move, the release is a little peculiar. Keegan had some upside as a young interior lineman with positional flexibility. He just never got a real opportunity to show it on the field in Minnesota.
How the Vikings use his roster spot over the coming days should explain the decision. It will also be curious if Keegan ends up back on the practice squad.
Update: Since publish, the Vikings announced the release of Keegan and tight end Bryson Nesbit from the practice squad.
