Vikings' Gamble with Preseason Stud Pays Off After Shocking Roster Cut

The Minnesota Vikings have had their share of surprises over the past couple of weeks. A trade that sent Harrison Phillips to the New York Jets was only the beginning as the Vikings traded cornerback Mekhi Blackmon to the Indianapolis Colts before the 53-man roster deadline on Tuesday. 

While the Vikings still had room to acquire Adam Thielen in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday, another surprising move was the release of edge defender Gabriel Murphy.

Murphy was among the final cuts ahead of Tuesday’s roster deadline and there was a chance he could latch on with another team after a promising preseason. But after less than 24 hours, the Vikings' gamble paid off to keep the young defender in the fold.

Vikings Sign EDGE Gabriel Murphy to Practice Squad After Surprising Release

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings are signing Murphy to their practice squad. The move comes roughly 24 hours after his release and on the heels of an impressive preseason where he racked up 1.5 sacks and eight pressures on 41 pass rushing snaps according to Pro Football Focus.

Murphy was an undrafted free agent signed by the Vikings last season. While he was impressive during training camp, he never played in a preseason game before suffering a knee injury that limited him to two games in the regular season. Murphy’s return to the field was a success this summer but it wasn’t enough to get him a roster spot with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner as locks and Bo Richter earning the No. 4 spot over Murphy.

An opposing team could have seen Murphy’s preseason performance and taken a flier on the 24-year-old. But the Vikings may have known they had enough to convince him to stay. Working in a Brian Flores’s defense that emphasizes his strengths, Murphy can sand out the edges in his game and give the Vikings a nearby insurance policy if injuries strike. Teams can also elevate a practice squad player up to three times in a season, meaning fans probably haven’t seen the last of the UCLA product.

With the Vikings continuing to make room, there could be more depth alongside Murphy in the coming days. But Minnesota’s gamble has paid off for now with Murphy staying in the Twin Cities.

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