Vikings make handful of moves before Sunday’s game

As they prepare for Sunday’s NFC North clash with the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Vikings have made a handful of roster moves to round out the roster.

The team has announced that they have elevated cornerback Tye Smith from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. In addition, they have also elevated guard Dakota Dozier and cornerback Parry Nickerson as COVID-19 replacements. Lastly, they waived receiver Dan Chisena, who was activated from injured reserve on Wednesday.

Both Dozier and Nickerson had used their two standard elevations to the roster over the past two weeks, but they are allowed to be elevated once more because they have been designated as COVID-19 replacements. The Vikings still have two players, cornerbacks Cameron Dantzler and Harrison Hand, on their reserve/COVID-19 list and neither of them will be ready to play tomorrow afternoon.

This is the first elevation of the season for Smith, a veteran in his sixth NFL season who was one of the Vikings’ final cuts and signed with the practice squad before the start of the regular season.

Chisena was waived, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, because the Vikings had to make room on the roster for a second COVID-19 replacement. It would not be surprising to see the Vikings bring him back whenever they are able.

Again, these roster moves appear to bode favorably for the status of Dalvin Cook for Sunday’s game. If the Vikings thought they would need a third running back for tomorrow’s contest, they could have brought preseason star A.J. Rose Jr. off of the practice squad to back up Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah. That they did not could point to Cook being ready to go for Sunday.

Of course, I’m pretty sure I said that before the Seattle game, too, and the Vikings wound up going with just two running backs for that one. Perhaps I’m reading too much into things again.

Those are your roster moves for the purple leading up to Sunday’s tilt at U.S. Bank Stadium, folks. If we get more news on happenings with the team, we will bring it to you here.