Vikings Promote C.J. Ham
The Vikings promoted running back C.J. Ham off of the practice squad in advance of Saturday’s game against the Packers. To make room, the Vikings placed cornerback Mackensie Alexander on injured reserve. 
This may not be a great sign for Adrian Peterson, who hasn’t practiced in recent days. Peterson returned from meniscus surgery to help the Vikings make a playoff push. Now that the Vikings are 7-7 with a 3% chance of qualifying for the postseason, the veteran doesn’t have much incentive to press his luck and take the field. We should know more about Peterson’s availability later on today.
A product of Division II Augustana College in South Dakota, Ham helped his team reach the postseason in his final year and led the Northern Sun Conference in rushing yards and touchdowns. In May of 2016, he signed with the Vikings as a free agent after competing in the rookie camp on a tryout basis. He did not make the team’s final 53-man cut in September, but he was brought on to the practice squad. After months of waiting, he may finally be making his NFL debut.
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC North
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Bears, Lions, Packers, and Vikings are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:
Chicago Bears
- Claimed:
- Signed:
- TE Logan Paulsen (story)
- Waived:
- TE Khari Lee (story)
- C Cornelius Edison (Link via Brad Biggs)
- DB Demontre Hurst (Link via Biggs)
- Signed to practice squad:
- CB Da’Vante Bausby (Link via Brad Biggs)
- LB John Timu (Link via Brad Biggs)
- QB Matt Barkley (Link via Adam Schefter)
- TE Ben Braunecker (Link via Chicago Bears)
- WR Daniel Braverman (Link via Chicago Bears)
- OT Jason Weaver (Link via Chicago Bears)
- RB Senorise Perry (Link via Chicago Bears)
Detroit Lions
- Claimed:
- LB Thurston Armbrister (Link via PFT)
- Placed on IR:
- LB Josh Bynes
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR T.J. Jones (Link via Justin Rogers)
- RB George Winn (Link via Rogers)
- DB Charles Washington (Link via Dave Birkett)
- WR Jace Billingsley
- CB Alex Carter
- TE Brian Leonhardt
- OL Brandon Thomas (Link via Eric Branch)
- WR Isaach Fruehcte (Link via Darren Wolfson)
- QB Jake Rudock
- LB Steve Longa (Link via Birkett)
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed:
- RB Jhurell Presley (Link via PFT)
- Waived:
- RB Brandon Burks (Link via Rob Demovsky)
- Signed to practice squad:
- DT Brian Price (Link via Rob Demovsky)
- WR Geronimo Allison (Link via Tom Silverstein)
- WR Herb Waters (Link via Silverstein)
- LB Carl Bradford (Link via Demovsky)
- LB Beniquez Brown (Link via Demovsky)
- OLB Reggie Gilbert (Link via Demovsky)
- G Blake Muir (Link via Demovsky)
- G Lucas Patrick (Link via Demovsky)
- CB Jermaine Whitehead (Link via Demovsky)
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Moritz Boehringer (Link via Chris Tomasson)
- CB Tre Roberson (Link via Chris Tomasson)
- G Willie Beavers
- TE Kyle Carter
- G Isame Faciane
- RB C.J. Ham
- DT Toby Johnson
- QB Joel Stave
- DE Stephen Weatherly
- S Shamiel Gary (Link via David Canter)
Vikings’ Roster Stands At 53
The Vikings have trimmed their roster down to 53 by making the following moves:
- DT Travis Raciti (Twitter link via Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune)
- DL Zach Moore (Twitter link via Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News)
- DE Denzell Perine (Twitter link via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press)
- WR Isaac Fruechte (Twitter link via Wolfson)
- WR Moritz Boehringer (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com)
- CB Tre Roberson (link via Tomasson)
- QB Joel Stave (link via Tomasson)
- FB Blake Renaud (link via Tomasson)
- RB C.J. Ham (link via Tomasson)
- TE Kyle Carter (link via Tomasson)
- RB Jhurell Pressley (link via Tomasson)
- DE Stephen Weatherly (link via Tomasson)
- LB Brandon Watts (link via Tomasson)
- T Willie Beavers
- T Carter Bykowski
- G Isame Faciane
- LB Jake Ganus
- DT Toby Johnson
- DL Kenrick Ellis
Placed on IR:
- S Michael Griffin (story)
- CB Jabari Price
Placed On NFI:
- QB Taylor Heinicke
Moore, who turns 26 next week, appeared in eight games for the Pats in 2014 after being taken with a sixth-round pick. In 2015, he found his way to Minnesota where he appeared in one regular season contest.
Boehringer, a native of Germany, became the first international player to go straight from a European league to the NFL when the Vikings chose him in the sixth round. He ultimately failed to earn a roster spot, though he could land on the Vikings’ practice squad, per Rapoport.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/16
Today’s minor moves:
- The Jets announced that they have claimed tight end Jerome Cunningham and waived running back/kick returner Dri Archer. Cunningham played in nine games for New Jersey’s other team in 2015, catching the first eight passes of his NFL career. Cunningham, a three-year starter at Southern Connecticut State, has managed to stay local since entering the NFL in 2014.
- The Jets also signed cornerback Bryson Keeton and waived tight end Adrien Robinson (link). Keeton, a 6’2” defensive back, played two seasons at Montana State and defended a total of 21 passes over the last two years.
- The Chiefs claimed guard Jordan Devey off waivers from the 49ers, as Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets. Devey unexpectedly made his way into the Niners’ starting lineup to open the 2015 season. Although he was replaced down the stretch, the 28-year-old made nine starts and played nearly 400 offensive snaps for San Francisco in 2015.
- The Buccaneers signed three tryout players (link): Texas Tech linebacker Micah Awe, Kansas State defensive tackle Travis Britz, and Louisville tackle Kelby Johnson. The team also welcomed back wide receiver Andre Davis. To make room, UDFAs tight end Tim Brown (West Chester), linebacker Tyson Coleman (Oregon), and defensive tackle Jontavius Morris (Western Kentucky).
- Kutztown wide receiver Anthony Kelly, signed last week by Buccaneers as undrafted free agent, is no longer with team due to an issue with his knee, Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times tweets.
- The Vikings (Twitter link) announced the signing of cornerback Tre Roberson and wide receiver Troy Stoudermire. Kentucky State cornerback Eric Rawls, announced as a UDFA signee last week, did not end up inking his deal, per Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press (on Twitter). The team’s roster is now at 90.
- The Cardinals signed running back Elijhaa Penny (Idaho) and wide receiver Chris Hubert (Fayetteville St.) while cutting running back Jared Baker and outside linebacker Mike Reilly (Twitter link via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
- Washington released safety Tevin Carter (link).
- The Texans signed former New Mexico outside linebacker Ryan Langford following a successful tryout, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Packers cut former Rice wide receiver Dennis Parks, Wilson tweets.
- The Chiefs cut offensive lineman Mike Liedtke, according to freelance reporter Jenna Laine (on Twitter).
- The Vikings signed running back C.J. Ham out of Augustana University, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. The deal should become finalized on Tuesday.
- The Packers signed tight end Casey Pierce, defensive tackle Demetris Anderson, running back Brandon Burks, fullback Alstevis Squirewell, and guard Cory Tucker and released defensive tackle Josh Boyd, defensive tackle William Campbell, tight end David Grinnage, and tackle Jeremy Vujnovich.
