Vikings Sign Former Lions Prospect, College Teammate in Free Agency

The Minnesota Vikings have experienced injuries at the cornerback position and face uncertainty at wide receiver.

However, they have moved to address other areas entering the final week of the preseason. Despite signing Aaron Jones in free agency, adding him to incumbent Ty Chandler and several depth options, the Vikings are adding another body to the backfield.

It is someone local Vikings fans know well.

“Vikings are signing former Minnesota RB Mo Ibrahim, per Matt Leist of LAA,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported on X on August 22.

The team announced the signing a short while later, making Ibrahim’s addition official. A five-year contributor at the University of Minnesota from 2018 through 2022, Ibrahim posted three 1,000-yard seasons during his Golden Gophers tenure.

He rushed for 1,665 yards and 20 touchdowns in his final season in 2022.

Ibrahim went undrafted in 2022, signing with the Detroit Lions as a free agent in May 2023. He appeared in one game, logging six snaps on special teams, per Pro Football Reference.

“Hard-hat running back who operated with toughness, vision and a feel for cut timing in the Minnesota inside/outside zone attack. Ibrahim’s decisiveness stands out, but he’s missing an elevated burst to clear second-level tacklers without taking bumps and bruises,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlien wrote before the 2022 draft.

“His injury history, paired with his combative running style, could be a concern for some teams, but his no-nonsense running approach and innate feel for the end zone will be easy for coaches to love.”

Mo Ibrahim Reunites With Former College Teammate on Vikings After Free Agency Stay

The Vikings also added offensive lineman Chuck Filiaga, another 2022 undrafted free agent who has yet to break through with an NFL team.

Filiaga was teammates with Ibrahim from 2018 through 2022.

“Filiaga isn’t a great athlete, but he was a capable blocker in Minnesota’s zone running game, which might end up being a natural scheme fit for him at the next level,” Zierlien wrote in 2022. “He doesn’t play with much bend, and that leads to consistent leverage issues. He’s unlikely to drive opponents off the ball as an NFL base blocker. His pass protection is technically sound, but his athletic limitations will create concerns in the pros.”

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 337 pounds, Filiaga spent the spring with the San Antonio Brahamas of the UFL.

The Vikings waived 2024 undrafted free agent tight end Trey Knox with an injury designation and waived cornerback Jacobi Francis. The Vikings signed Pro Bowl corner Stephon Gilmore in free agency on August 18, making Francis expendable with cutdown day (August 27) looming.

Vikings Claim Former Patriots UDFA Off Waivers

The Vikings also announced their successful claim of former New England Patriots undrafted free agent Neal Johnson Jr. on August 21. They were awarded Johnson off waivers from the New York Jets.

A five-year performer (2019-2023) from the University of Louisiana, Johnson is a 6-foot-4 tight end who caught 101 passes for 1,196 yards and 11 touchdowns in college.

His arrival comes amid questions about Robert Tonyan’s future with the team.

Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson has looked good in practice but appears to still be on a timeline that would have him miss roughly four weeks in the regular season after his knee injury suffered late in the 2023 slate, per Seifert on August 22.