Minnesota is on a bye this week and that will help the roster to get healthier, too. And they need all the help they can get, especially on the offensive line, which was in shambles against the Cleveland Browns.

The Vikings offensive line was in such rough shape heading into their matchup against the Browns that they signed something called Matt Waletzko and flew him to London just so they had enough offensive linemen to hold a full practice.

Two depth talents waived by Minnesota Vikings

But with the team slowly getting healthier, they were forced to make some moves on Monday, choosing to waive depth tight end Nick Vannett and guard Vershon Lee.

The #Vikings have waived G Vershon Lee and released TE Nick Vannett.

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 6, 2025

Minnesota grabbed ten-year veteran Nick Vannett as tight end depth early on this season. With T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver active and Ben Yurosek getting healthier, there was no need for Vannett.

Rookie Gavin Bartholomew suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, and remains on IR. Vannett played in three games for Minnesota, but only saw four snaps on offense. He logged 20 snaps on special teams.

Other offensive line notes and thoughts

After going undrafted, Vershon Lee signed as a free agent with the Vikings. He was elevated from the practice squad for the first time on Sunday against the Browns. He logged just four snaps as a guard on special teams.

Let’s be real. If you couldn’t crack the offensive line rotation last week… then it’s probably never happening. It’s also notable that Lee was sent packing, as opposed to Waletzko, who just joined the team this week.

Donovan Jackson is expected to be back for Week 7. Michael Jurgens is returning to practice, too, but there has been some question over whether Brandel is a better option at center, until Ryan Kelly returns (if he does).

Minnesota returns to action in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles at home. There will be no Love boat reincarnation during the time off, and it’s probably good Jordan Addison is sticking around the facility too.

Many roster moves are straightforward. Training camp bodies are brought in to compete during the preseason, but there is no real path to a roster spot. Not all of the moves work that way though, and sometimes players earn a surprising spot.

On the flip side, when someone takes a spot out of nowhere, it has a trickle down effect. The Vikings rostered a whopping seven undrafted free agents. These are the four most shocking names to miss the cut.

Gabriel Murphy, OLB

There are four players on this list, but none compare to the surprise cut that was Gabriel Murphy. He was a standout during training camp and the preseason last year. The undrafted free agent out of UCLA earned his way onto the field for a pair of games during the regular season as well.

This preseason Murphy racked up 1.5 sacks in limited action. He seemed like an edge rusher with the arrow pointing straight up. Then again, it’s a tough group to crack when Brian Flores boasts the best front seven in the league.

Gabriel Murphy (@GabrielMurphy_) with the cross chop/club. Clears the blocker & gets the sack. If you beat the hands, you beat the man! #PassRush #Skol pic.twitter.com/bHRuca0WBU

— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) August 9, 2025

Ultimately the Vikings opted to carry undrafted free agent Chaz Chambliss instead. The Georgia product probably has more impact on special teams and that could be the difference. Murphy won’t be unemployed long, and it would hardly be shocking if he put up some good starting numbers.

It wasn’t even as though Murphy was next in line either. Austin Keys, another undrafted rookie, made the time as a linebacker also.

Taki Taimani, DL

An undrafted rookie last season, Taimani saw time on defense for Minnesota. He played in seven games and recorded three tackles on 70 defensive snaps. It’s not that he was a fixture or even a rotational player, but development would have suggested another step forward this season.

Of course that interior line is not the same group this team employs. Harrison Phillips and those patchwork pieces behind him are gone. Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave are here to wreak havoc. Taimani found himself bested by the competition and now he’ll look to stick elsewhere.

Nick Vannett, TE

It’s not so much that Vannett wasn’t kept for Minnesota. He was a late training camp addition and came about because the tight end depth had hit a snag. Rookie Gavin Bartholomew is going to miss the season, and he was set to be the third option behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver.

Rather than just go with Vannett, who has nine years of experience under his belt, Minnesota opted for undrafted free agent Benjamin Yurosek. Last season Vannett was active for all 17 games with the Tennessee Titans and drew 10 starts. He’s had more than 200 yards receiving in a season just once during his career, but he keeps seeing opportunities.

#Vikings TE Ben Yurosek has been impressing so far 👀

(@Dust_Vikings)pic.twitter.com/f39X8sda8R

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) August 5, 2025

Yurosek, a Georgia product, had only 15 receptions for the Bulldogs last season. He turned them into 185 yards, but had just five career touchdowns in 48 collegiate games. This could be more of a special teams play as well.

Lucky Jackson, WR

When you have just five wide receivers make a roster, and only two of them are worthy of a starting role, it’s worth scrutinizing the position. Lucky Jackson wasn’t a surprise cut if you watched him fumble away the opportunity during the preseason. He was a surprise cut because a roster spot was his for the taking and he flopped.

Instead of Jackson, the Vikings will roll with undrafted free agent Myles Price, and uninspiring veteran Tim Jones. Price has utility as a returner and showed some nice chemistry with third string quarterback Max Brosmer. Jones played all 17 games each of the past three seasons for the Jaguars, but he has just 17 receptions to his credit.

Today's bad drop… Lucky Jackson with a perfectly thrown ball by J.J. McCarthy.pic.twitter.com/VQ9Bsyvu2L

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) August 14, 2025

Jackson could have been in line to push Jalen Nailor for reps at some point this season. Instead his untimely drops and uninspiring play left him on the unemployment line.

The Minnesota Vikings kick off their season on September 8 against the Chicago Bears. These surprise cuts will be looking to land deals elsewhere before then.

So far it has sounded like the defensive side of the ball is ahead during practice. That’s not exactly surprising considering how good Brian Flores’ front seven is. The evaluation period will continue for both sides of the ball though, and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a roster tweak on Monday.

Nick Vannett joins MN Vikings tight end group

Just last week the Minnesota Vikings added more depth to the offensive line. Monday they subtracted a tackle to add tight end Nick Vannett.

The #Vikings have signed TE Nick Vannett and waived T Marcellus Johnson.

📰: https://t.co/8V7qOGE9Cp pic.twitter.com/f4zzVVvQ1M

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 4, 2025

Minnesota initially signed Marcellus Johnson to the practice squad last year. He was released and re-signed with the New York Giants before making his way back to the Vikings.

This will be Vannett’s 10th year in the NFL. He was originally a third-round pick way back in 2016. Last season he played in all 17 games (10 starts) for the Tennessee Titans. He caught 17 passes for 135 yards and a trio of touchdowns.

At 32 years old, Vannett is a grizzled veteran. If he appears on the field for the Vikings, they would represent his eighth different team. The three touchdowns last season matched a career-high he set with Seattle back in 2018.

Related: Punches Thrown at Minnesota Vikings Training Camp

Minnesota’s top tight end options are T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver. Beyond that there is uncertainty in the form of 2025 draft pick Gavin Bartholomew and undrafted free agent Ben Yurosek. That contingent, along with Vannett, is looking to replace since departed depth option Nick Muse.