- By going over the 100-catch mark on Sunday, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen triggered an escalator in his contract, tweets Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Thielen, who inked an incredibly team-friendly extension last spring, will now see his 2019 base salary increase from $3.85MM to $5.85MM. If he tops 90 receptions in 2019, Thielen will boost his 2020 salary from $5.35MM to $7.35MM.
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Jalen Tolliver
- Cut: Vincent Valentine
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Bennett Jackson
- Cut: RB Mark Thompson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DL Caushaud Lyons, TE Tim Semisch, T Dan Skipper
- Placed on PS-IR: OT Andreas Knappe
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Hakeem Valles
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Jalen Myrick
- Released from PS-IR: DE Jonathan Wynn
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams, WR Max McCaffrey
The Vikings placed safety Andrew Sendejo on injured reserve, according to a team announcement. In a related move, rookie cornerback Craig James was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. 
Sendejo, 31, suffered a groin injury in Week 5 and has been out of action ever since. It may be coincidental, but the Vikings’ defense has been stronger since turning to reserves Anthony Harris, George Iloka, and Jayron Kearse in his stead. In the first five weeks of the season, the Vikings surrendered 26.2 points per contest. Since then, they’ve allowed 20.3 points per game and lost only to the Saints and Bears, two of the NFC’s best teams.
Sendejo’s 2018 season ends with 27 total tackles and one pass deflection in five games. He faces an uncertain future next year as his $5.5MM salary for 2019 is completely non-guaranteed.
James, a UDFA who attended the University of Minnesota and Southern Illinois, has been with the Vikings’ practice squad for the last six weeks.
The Vikings received some excellent news on Monday when an MRI revealed cornerback Xavier Rhodes suffered a “very, very mild” hamstring injury, head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters, including Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (Twitter link). While Minnesota does have depth in its secondary (Mackensie Alexander, Holton Hill), the club had already lost rookie first-round corner Mike Hughes for the season. And missing Rhodes, who was named All-Pro in 2017, for any amount of time would have been devastating. After beating the Packers on Sunday night, the Vikings now have a 63% chance of earning a postseason berth, per FiveThirtyEight.com.
- Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari suffered two knee injuries and an ankle injury against the Vikings last night, but there is still hope he’ll be able to play against the Cardinals in Week 13, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. After being defeated by Minnesota, Green Bay will almost surely need to win out to have any chance at making the playoffs, and losing Bakhtiari certainly wouldn’t help matters. Arguably the league’s best pass-blocking tackle, Bakhtiari missed six games over his first five seasons in the NFL. If Bakhtiari’s not able to play against Arizona, former second-round pick Jason Spriggs would take over on Aaron Rodgers‘ blindside.
Vikings wideout Chad Beebe might miss some time. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that the receiver could miss multiple games with a hamstring injury. Beebe suffered the injury during practice on Wednesday.
If the injury linger, Tomasson wonders if the Vikings would ultimately place the wideout on the injured reserve. If the team wanted some offensive reinforcement as soon as possible, the writer also suggests that the team could promote tight end Cole Hikutini from the practice squad.
Beebe, an undrafted rookie out of Northern Illinois, has already made a name for himself during his short stint with the Vikings. After going undrafted, he caught on with Minnesota, and he landed on the team’s practice squad following the preseason. He was promoted to the active roster earlier this month, and he’s hauled in four receptions for 39 yards. He also compiled a special teams tackle. If he misses any time, wideouts Brandon Zylstra or Aldrick Robinson could see more opportunities on offense.
Hikutini was an undrafted rookie out of Louisville in 2017. The 24-year-old appeared in four games with the 49ers last season, hauling in two receptions for 15 yards. The tight end signed with the Vikings practice squad in early September.
Former Minnesota defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has withdrawn his grievance against the Vikings, as Ben Goessling of the Star-Tribune tweets. Floyd’s case against the Vikings has been put to rest, but he still seeking $180MM in his lawsuit against the Andrews Institute. 
Floyd was scheduled to earn $6.757MM on his fifth-year option in 2017, but the Vikings placed him on the non-football injury list when a nerve issue in his knee prevented him from playing. The Vikings paid him $2MM even though teams are under no obligation to pay players who are on the NFI list. Floyd was seeking the remainder of that salary before halting his pursuit this week.
While the case was pending, 40% of Floyd’s potential grievance amount ($1.9MM) counted against the Vikings’ cap. Now that the case is over with, the Vikes have been credited that amount plus the $2MM they paid to the defensive tackle. The Vikings had less than $300K to work with earlier this month, but they now have $4.235MM in breathing room. That money can be (and likely will be) rolled over into next year’s cap, which may help to re-sign players such as linebacker Anthony Barr and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
Floyd’s legal team will now focus solely on the case against Dr. James Andrews. Floyd says that he OK’d an operation that would sideline him for three to four weeks during the 2016 season, but he alleges that a pain blocker injected directly into a nerve caused him permanent damage.
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Xavier Coleman, WR Cam Phillips
- Released: WR Hunter Sharp
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Roc Thomas
- Released: G Landon Turner
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Cole Croston
- Released: RB David Jones
New York Giants
- Released: RB Jhurell Pressley
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Tarvarus McFadden
The Eagles’ decision to trade a third-round pick for Golden Tate probably represented the top compensatory pick-related deadline deal, with the Lions taking a 2019 third-rounder and the Eagles likely betting Tate walking in free agency will net them a 2020 third. (Though, the Cardinals acquired a sixth-round pick (and cost the Vikings a 2019 third) by cutting Sam Bradford prior to Week 10.) This system also affects mid- or lower-tier free agents in March and April, when teams’ compensatory picks are attached to signings.
- The Vikings‘ decision to let Case Keenum walk and spend $84MM fully guaranteed to add Kirk Cousins ranks as one of ESPN.com’s best moves of the offseason. “They were smart enough to realize they had the quarterback-friendly setup with a ferocious defense that gives up 20 points or less a game,” an NFL exec said, via ESPN’s Mike Sando (ESPN+ link). While Keenum led all passers in QB DVOA last season, he’s 23rd in Denver. Cousins, though, is just 17th by this measurement. Cousins (12th) is 15 spots ahead of Keenum in Total QBR, however.
The Vikings claimed former Lions running back Ameer Abdullah off waivers, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The move gives the former second-round pick a shot at a fresh start and even an opportunity for revenge when the Vikings face the Lions in Week 16. 
Abdullah entered the league with tons of hype in 2015, but injuries prevented him from doing much of anything after his rookie season. With the Lions this year, Abdullah was mostly inactive behind rookie star Kerryon Johnson, LeGarrette Blount, and pass-catching specialist Theo Riddick.
Technically speaking, Abdullah ranks no higher than third on the Vikings’ depth chart behind Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray, but Cook’s hamstring issues could reappear at any time. Cook looked strong in Week 9 as he rattled off a 70-yard run, but one wrong step could jeopardize his season. The Vikings also have UDFAs Michael Boone and Roc Thomas on the 53-man roster, but one of those players will probably be forced out to make room for the Nebraska product.
The Vikings own the 12th best record in the NFL, meaning more than half of the league passed on the opportunity to add Abdullah. Still, it’s a low-risk move for Minnesota since Abdullah’s contract will expire at the end of the season.
- Former Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has filed a $180MM lawsuit against famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews, alleging that a botched 2016 operation prematurely ended the former’s NFL career, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com writes. Floyd alleges he was set to undergo a minor knee procedure two years ago, but was instead given a pain blocker that caused significant nerve and muscle damage. Floyd, who has not played in the NFL since the surgery, is currently engaged in settlement discussions with the Vikings, whom Floyd alleges owes him salary.