Which Minnesota Vikings roster moves were most surprising?

Kevin O’Connell begins his third season as the leader of the Minnesota Vikings. As he seeks to usher in a new era at the quarterback position, plenty of roster spots were in flux. The total contingent of the coaching staff found themselves responsible for roster decisions, but at least a few raised eyebrows.

Kene Nwangwu – Running Back

Minnesota opting against rostering Kene Nwangwu was certainly a surprise. The former fourth round pick carved out a role as a kick return specialist. This preseason he also flashed as a traditional running back. With the new kick return rules he seemed like someone who could shine. Minnesota clearly has other intentions there.

HOUSE CALL!

Kene Nwangwu goes 48 yards for the @Vikings TD!

📺: #LVvsMIN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4rloO6OlLM

— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024

Without Nwangwu in the fold, Minnesota has just a pair of running backs. Aaron Jones has previously dealt with injury and Ty Chandler doesn’t have a long track record of starting success. The Vikings likely have their eyes on another running back. That doesn’t mitigate the surprise of the Nwangwu cut.

Related: Final List of Minnesota Vikings Roster Cuts – 2024

Lewis Cine – Safety

It’s not at all surprising that Lewis Cine didn’t make the Vikings roster. It is at least somewhat surprising no trade partner emerged. Cine has played just ten defensive snaps during his career. Eight of them came last season. Despite being a first round pick, Cine has been a non-factor.

Lewis Cine Preseason Week 2:

🏈 11 total tackles
🏈 1 interception
🏈 1 pass breakup
🏈 1 sack
🏈 2 quarterback hits
🏈 1 tackle for loss
🏈 1 massive hit-stick

Led the Vikings defense in every statistic. pic.twitter.com/ZiQlzSnduv

— vikesinsider (@vikesinsider) August 17, 2024

That said, he was showcased during the Cleveland Browns preseason game and showed out. The results against the Philadelphia Eagles were not as great, and could have soured suitors. Interest was there from multiple teams, but no deal ever materialized, and it’s hard to imagine what someone with so little value would have required.

Bo Richter – OLB

Of course Richter isn’t a household name. If you watched the preseason at all though, you saw him be a complete disruptor for the Vikings. Minnesota has overhauled the edge rusher position with Johnathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel taking over. Dallas Turner is a promising rookie and Brian Flores builds his defense on the pass rush. Richter could have been kept as depth.

Bo Richter recognizes the rollout and is in the QB's lap before he even turns around. Easy work on the sack for him because he read it right. pic.twitter.com/bBrbKl9UCK

— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) August 19, 2024

It seems unlikely that Richter will make it to the practice squad, but he would be a candidate to keep around. Van Ginkel dealt with an injury this offseason. It could take Turner a bit of time to get up to speed. It would not be at all surprising to see Richter bringing down quarterbacks on Sunday’s this season.

Tyrese Robinson – OG

This may have been more of a shock had the Vikings not found a way to keep Dalton Risner around. Despite Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel winning the starting spots, the veteran was placed on IR with a designation to return. Risner could be back as soon as Week 5, and that gives O’Connell’s offensive line a safety blanket.

Tyrese Robinson and Michael Jurgens create a wide hole for Myles Gaskin to run through, and he hits it hard, well before the LB is able to get to him and into the second level of the defense. pic.twitter.com/b4oa1gtMAi

— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) August 21, 2024

Robinson flashed during the preseason, and there was a time where he looked to challenge Ingram. The former LSU product has not solidified his starting spot. While it won’t be Robinson who takes over for him, it could be Risner down the line.

Related: Vikings Place Separate Injury Designations on TJ Hockenson and Stud UDFA Gabe Murphy

Cut down is now behind the Minnesota Vikings. Who they claim and how their practice squad fills out is up next.

Is Kene Nwangwu the Minnesota Vikings third running back?

Aaron Jones gives the Minnesota Vikings their best starting running back since peak Dalvin Cook. That is a need after how poorly the group fared with Alexander Mattison as the starter last year.

Ty Chandler will rotate in plenty as well. Kene Nwangwu showing out as a legitimate running back helps the position too. The Star Tribune’s Mark Craig seems to believe more work should be coming.

Kene Nwangwu needs to carry the ball more

A week after his 48-yard touchdown burst, Kene Nwangwu helped the Vikings run for 84 yards in the first half. He ran the ball seven times for 45 yards, a 6.4 average, including a 13-yarder in which he showed some power and balance, bouncing off two defenders. He has only 27 regular-season carries in his career so far.

Mark Craig – Star Tribune

Related: New NFL Kickoff Rules Give Vikings a New X-Factor

Once again looking spry against the Cleveland Browns, Nwangwu paced Vikings running backs in the box score. Both Jones and Chandler will carry that load during the regular season, but Nwangwu provides a different look altogether. Myles Gaskin may have been presumed as the third running back, but Nwangwu has definitely staked his claim.

Can Minnesota Vikings find more touches for Kene Nwangwu?

Thus far in his career Kene Nwangwu has been almost exclusively a special teams player. Last season Kevin O’Connell dialed up just five rushing attempts, and that was down from the nine he has in 2022.

He has never had more than 13 carries in a single season. Even as a third running back, that seems like a safe bar to clear. Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller seems to think an expanded role is coming as well.

“He has taken a ton of reps this preseason as the first or second team running back…I don’t see him as someone they really want to use a ton, but also the fact that they haven’t gone out and gotten anybody else, and they’ve stuck with DeWayne McBride, says to me that they at least sort of like what they have seen from Kene Nwangwu. He has looked much more like a running back than he has in preseason before.”

Matthew Coller on Kene Nwangwu this preseason

The running game has never been something that O’Connell has leaned heavily on. That could change some this season with Jones in the backfield and Darnold under center. The more often that backs are touching the ball, the more likely others will need to filter in.

Related: Worried About the Vikings Cutting Your Favorite Training Camp Underdog? Don’t Be.

It doesn’t seem logical that Nwangwu will breakout for the Minnesota Vikings, but carving a niche on offense seems plausible.

Get ready for a massive increase in kick returns this NFL season

NFL owners approve massive revamp to kickoff play. They've adopted the XFL kickoff.

Here’s what the new NFL kickoff will look like this season: pic.twitter.com/ZX1CvtwRC6

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 26, 2024

In a recent interview on Wednesday, head coach of the New York Jets, Robert Saleh, talked about how kick returners are going to touch the ball over 100 times a year. A significant increase from the last few years.

With the new kickoff rules and these kick returners, they’re going to touch the ball over 100 times a year, which is significant. At least that’s what we’re anticipating. And a guy like him, he’s still young, obviously coming off his injuries, but we’re excited to have him aboard.

Robert Saleh – Head Coach of the New York Jets (NBC Sports)

Related: No Extension Imminent for Vikings’ Left Tackle Christian Darrisaw

For reference, not a single player returned more than 30 kickoffs in 2023 and 35 in 2022. Kick returners in this upcoming season should see almost three times the amount of returns. Something NFL fans and kick returners will certainly enjoy this year.

What does this mean for Minnesota Vikings’ kick returner Kene Nwangwu?

Current Minnesota Vikings’ kick returner Kene Nwangwu was drafted by former general manager Rick Spielman back in 2021, and quickly made his presence known in the NFL with three kick return touchdowns in his first two seasons.

This might seem like a lot, but Nwangwu’s three kick return touchdowns is already T-31st most in the NFL history. For reference, former Minnesota Vikings’ kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson is No. 1 with a total of nine kick return touchdowns.

In honor of #49ers week and #Vikings RB/KR Kene Nwangwu set to return this Monday… enjoy his second career kick return TD his rookie year in 2021! #Skol pic.twitter.com/nxzoI6OGGW

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 19, 2023

Despite no kick return touchdowns last season, Nwangwu continues to grade extremely well in kick returns according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). His career kick return PFF grades (* minimum 10 return attempts):

• 2021: 79.7 (1st of 43)*
• 2022: 70.4 (13th of 41)*
• 2023: 68.4 (2nd of 23)*

Per #Jets HC Robert Saleh today, they expect NFL kick returners to touch the ball over 100 times this season due to the new kickoff rules 🤯

This is excellent news for #Vikings RB/KR Kene Nwangwu. Why? 👇

Per @PFF, his kick return grades:
💥2021: 79.7 (1st of 43)*
💥2022: 70.4… pic.twitter.com/t0DPpiqUl4

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) May 29, 2024

As you can see, Nwangwu is one of the top kick returners in the NFL. Although he hasn’t been able to crack the running back rotation over the last three seasons, he certainly has proved he’s deserving a roster spot as a kick returner.

Related: Could Too Much Torque on J.J. McCarthy’s Arm be a Concern for Vikings?

There have been doubts over the last couple seasons over whether or not Nwangwu is deserving of a roster spot, given how devalued kick returners had become. With these new rule changes, however, it’s safe to say that Nwangwu will be making the 53-man roster and make a much larger impact on games than ever before.

Related: Kirk Cousins Sidesteps Question About Waiving No-Trade Clause

N’Keal Harry, Trishton Jackson elevated from practice squad

Replacing JJ and Mullins on the 53-man roster are (WR) N’Keal Harry and (WR) Trishton Jackson, who were both elevated from practice squad. (RB/KR) Kene Nwangwu has also been designated to return from IR.

The #Vikings have signed WR Dan Chisena, TE Troy Fumagalli and QB Sean Mannion to the practice squad.

RB Kene Nwangwu has been designated for return; returned to practice. pic.twitter.com/1YHnzJbE0m

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 11, 2023

Minnesota Vikings sign Sean Mannion and Dan Chisena to practice squad

The new practice squad QB is 31-year-old Sean Mannion, who backed-up Kirk Cousins for much of the three seasons between 2019 and 2022. Kevin O’Connell said, in his press conference, that rookie quarterback, Jaren Hall, will serve as Cousins’ QB2 on Sunday vs the Chicago Bears, but we will see how long that lasts.

Related: With Justin Jefferson Out, Who Will Step Up for Vikings… and Who Won’t?

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also signed former Vikings special teamer and depth WR, Dan Chisena, to a practice squad contract. The 26-year-old Chisena appeared in double-digit games during both the Vikings’ 2020 and 2021 campaigns, but only got into 2 games in 2022. He was then released at the end of last season.

The final practice squad addition on the day was (TE) Troy Fumagalli, a 28-year-old former Wisconsin Badger who played 19 games between 2019 and 2020 with the Denver Broncos.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan