Nate Meadors

George Iloka met with the Vikings for a second time this year, working out Tuesday. That is expected to lead to a reunion.

The veteran safety is going through COVID-19 testing protocols and is expected to sign with the Vikings later this week, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.

The Vikes were not especially interested in bringing Iloka back last week, due to his vested-veteran status mandating his salary become guaranteed at the season’s outset, Tomasson adds (on Twitter). With that no longer an issue, it appears Mike Zimmer will have a familiar face back in his secondary.

A former Bengals draftee who played for Zimmer in Cincinnati from 2012-13, Iloka last played in the NFL in 2018 with the Vikings. Although he played in 16 games with Minnesota that season, he was out of football in 2019. The Vikings previously met with Iloka in mid-August.

In Week 1, the Vikings carried just two pure safeties on their active roster — starters Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris. They promoted Nate Meadors from their practice squad last week, however, and have converted him from cornerback to safety. Iloka, however, brings extensive experience at the position and has three seasons in Zimmer’s system. Iloka, 30, was a full-time Bengals starter from 2013-17.