Vikings OL Oli Udoh On Roster Bubble?

Oli Udoh started 16 games for the Vikings last season, but the offensive lineman may be fighting for his job. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert mentions Udoh as a player who’s firmly on the Vikings roster bubble.

Udoh was a sixth-round pick by the Vikings in 2019. After appearing in only seven games through his first two seasons in the NFL, he started 16 of his 17 appearances in 2021 at guard. He also got in 94 percent of his team’s offensive snaps.

While he saw an increased role, the lineman didn’t necessarily do the most with his opportunity. He tied for the league lead in penalties, and Pro Football Focus ranked him 65th among 82 qualifying offensive guards. He was particularly bad in pass-blocking situations, so the Vikings were fortunate to limit Kirk Cousins to only 28 sacks.

With a new coaching staff, Udoh will have to once again prove his worth, but he’ll have an uphill battle. Free agent addition Jesse Davis was getting most of the reps at right guard during minicamp, per Seifert. The Vikings also used a second-round pick on guard Ed Ingram. Udoh does have the ability to play tackle, so his versatility could help him stick around as a backup lineman. However, if the organization decides to roster someone else, the Vikings could easily move off Udoh and his $1MM cap hit.

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/1/22

Here are the New Year’s Day activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Oli Udoh

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Bryce Hall

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Vikings OL Dru Samia Tests Positive For COVID-19

Vikings offensive lineman Dru Samia has tested positive for COVID-19, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network (via Twitter). Contact tracing is being performed, and Samia and anyone deemed a high-risk contact will not be permitted to travel with the team for tomorrow night’s game against the Bears.

Samia, a 2019 fourth-rounder, started four games for Minnesota earlier this year before returning to a reserve role. But the Vikings just released Pat Elflein and now find themselves without their top backup at guard. Plus, there is a good chance that there will indeed be high-risk contacts given the nature of O-line/D-line play.

Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com suggests that Brett Jones, who is currently on the practice squad, and Oli Udoh could find themselves in the O-line mix if any of Samia’s fellow blockers are deemed high-risk contacts or if the team should suffer an injury during tomorrow’s game. Cronin also expects the Vikes to promote Aviante Collins from the practice squad (Twitter link).

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Vikings Sign Three Draft Picks

The Vikings got ahead of the game on Friday by signing the following draft choices (all Twitter links from Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press):

Smith, who grew up in sunny California, will have to get used to the cold weather in Minnesota. He didn’t impress with his measurables in workouts, but he has proven to be a savvy defender in live action. In 2017, he led the Trojans with 112 tackles, with 11 tackles for a loss. He was slowed somewhat by injuries last year, but still managed 81 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss in ten games.

Watts measures in at 6’5″ and roughly 300 pounds, so he already has the size to compete in the NFL. In accordance with his slot, he’ll receive a four-year, $2.687MM deal with a $167K signing bonus.

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