The Minnesota Vikings had to rely on their depth in some areas of the team in the 2024 season, but injuries are part of the game and unpreventable. To name two examples, in the past few games, Fabian Moreau stepped into a more prominent role with Stephon Gilmore absent, and rookie Dallas Turner made an impact as Pat Jones II was held out for a game.
Vikings Say Goodbye to a Depth Linebacker
One guy who didn’t see the field is linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk. The team released him off injured reserve, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson on X: “Vikings waived Jordan Kunaszyk from IR.”
The veteran was originally signed in August when the Vikings swapped him for former fourth-rounder Jabril Cox but then landed on IR ahead of the roster cuts on August 27.
The 28-year-old linebacker played his college ball at Cal and went undrafted in 2019. He had stints with the Panthers, in Washington, and with the Browns, playing in 46 career games, including two starts with the Browns in 2022.
His career stat sheet shows 45 tackles. He logged 176 snaps on defense and 876 on special teams, implying a clear special teams focus.
He suited up for a couple of preseason contests after joining the Vikings, recording six tackles against the Eagles and the Browns.
The Vikings still have seven linebackers assigned to the team one way or another:
- Blake Cashman
- Ivan Pace Jr. (IR)
- Kamu Grugier-Hill
- Jamin Davis
- Brian Asamoah
- Max Tooley (Practice Squad)
- Calvin Munson (Practice Squad)
Blake Cashman returned home to Minnesota after his breakout season with the Houston Texans last year. He has become the heart of the defense as a play-caller on the field, responsible for getting his teammates lined up and for the subsequent audibles if necessary.
He usually lines up next to 2023 standout rookie Ivan Pace, but Pace missed the last three games due to an injury. Pace joined Kunaszyk on IR last month and is scheduled to sit out at least one more game. His return is near, though.
In his absence, veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill is playing some extra reps, and former first-rounder Jamin Davis was signed to take on some of Pace’s blitzing duties.
Kunaszyk will likely clear waivers and end up as an unrestricted free agent, eligible to sign with a team of his choice. In all likelihood, he will either find a team looking for a special teamer or sign with someone’s practice squad (perhaps even with the Vikings).
His ex-teammates, meanwhile, will head to Seattle, hoping to snap a five-game road losing streak against the NFC West rivals.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt