Minnesota Vikings Sign New Cornerback to Practice Squad

This Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings, sporting a 10-2 record, are set to face off against the 6-6 Atlanta Falcons. The Vikings have dealt with some injury setbacks already this season, losing Christian Darrisaw for the season, among other injuries that have cost time for Jordan Addison, Blake Cashman and TJ Hockenson, among others.

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.

Related: Can the Minnesota Vikings Clinch a Playoff Spot This Weekend?

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.