Veteran depth joins the Minnesota Vikings defense

The cornerback room was a cause for concern coming into the season for Minnesota. They have held up well, and veteran Stephon Gilmore returned to the starting lineup last weekend. In addressing another area of the defense, the Vikings grabbed defensive lineman Jonathan Harris from the Carolina Panthers.

The #Vikings have signed DL Jonathan Harris to the practice squad and released CB Kelvin Joseph from the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/JMWDePELQi

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 26, 2024

Harris went undrafted out of Lindenwood but has turned in a nice five-year professional career. Minnesota will be his fourth professional team, and he has played in 40 games while making nine starts.

2023 with Denver was Harris’ most productive season as a pro. In 17 games he recorded 43 tackles nd his first career sack. In seven games with Carolina this season he had 10 tackles and a quarterback hit. Harris has played both defensive end as well as contributed on the interior defensive line.

The interior has been a point of contentions for the Vikings this season. Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, and Jerry Tillery have been the key contributors. Harris’ addition could also be in response to recent injuries bugging Jalen Redmond.

Kelvin Joseph never made it into game action for Minnesota. The 25-year-old appeared in a pair of games for Indianapolis earlier this season.

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Minnesota’s defensive front will look to slow Jordan Love and the Packers offense on Sunday. After a strong performance against the Seahawks, their 87.1 rush yards allowed per game is second-lowest in the league.

But for the most part, they’ve been pretty healthy, of late. Last week, though, they lost key cornerback Stephon Gilmore during their win vs the Arizona Cardinals, and never returned. Today, they’ve padded their depth in the secondary with a practice squad signing

Minnesota Vikings sign CB Kelvin Joseph to the practice squad

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell gave an optimistic update on cornerback Stephon Gilmore’s injury on Monday, hinting that it might not be a long-term issue. But this weekend seems to be very up in the air. Thus, the Minnesota Vikings have signed Kelvin Joseph to their practice squad.

The #Vikings have signed CB Kelvin Joseph to the practice squad. pic.twitter.com/xJSe7Ksw2n

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 4, 2024

When Stephon Gilmore initially left Sunday’s game against the Cardinals due to injury, Fabian Moreau stepped in to fill the void. Kyler Murray certainly seemed to target Moreau, looking to exploit the change in the Vikings’ secondary. Despite this, Moreau managed to hold his own, playing 31 snaps in Gilmore’s absence. He filled some big shoes under pressure, turning in an okay performance.

Moreau wrapped up the game with a disappointing PFF grade of 40.6, ranking him 18th out of 20 defensive players who saw action. He’s got to step up his game. With a full week of practice alongside the starters, I would expect improvement. If he doesn’t turn it around, we might see Joseph get his chance to shine and make a significant impact.

Who is this new Vikings Cornerback?

Kelvin Joseph’s NFL journey has been nothing short of a whirlwind. Initially selected in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. He spent two seasons in Dallas before being traded to the Miami Dolphins. His stint with the Dolphins was brief, leading to his release, after which he found a new home with the Seattle Seahawks.

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However, his time in Seattle was also short-lived, he was released again before catching on with the Kansas City Chiefs. With the Chiefs, Joseph added a Super Bowl ring to his resume. Fast forward to this September, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad but was soon let go. Now, he’s donning the purple and gold as a new member of the Minnesota Vikings.

In his four-year NFL career, Kelvin Joseph has racked up 39 total tackles, forced one fumble, recovered one fumble, and deflected four passes. He hasn’t played regularly since his time in Dallas. He logged over 300 defensive snaps for the Cowboys between 2021 and 2022. PFF loved him, as a rookie, where he grabbed a 71.2 overall grade. One year later, it dropped to 49.2. He is yet to see a regular season defensive snap this season.