Vikings Waive Kenny Willekes (Injury), A.J. Rose Jr. to Clear Space For New Additions

The Vikings have signed a couple veteran free agents this week in defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard and wide receiver Albert Wilson.

To make room on the 90-man roster, they had to waive a couple players. Running back A.J. Rose Jr. was waived earlier this week to create space for Wilson, and defensive end Kenny Willekes was waived with an injury designation to open a spot for Bullard on Thursday.

Rose was a 2021 undrafted free agent out of Kentucky who impressed in the preseason last year, putting up 118 scrimmage yards against the Broncos and 61 yards and two touchdowns on eight touches against the Chiefs. But the Vikings are deep at running back, so Rose was expendable.

Waiving Willekes is a more significant move. The 2020 seventh-round pick out of Michigan State missed his entire rookie season with a leg injury, but returned last year and looked like a player who could fit into the Vikings' long-term plans.

Willekes played in just six games last year, also spending time on the practice squad and the COVID list, but he showed a bunch of flashes in those six games. He finished the year with 15 pressures, 2.5 sacks, 7 QB hits, and 18 tackles.

Almost all of Willekes' production came in two specific games. In Week 9 against the Ravens, he got an opportunity to see extended playing time and put his stamp all over the game. He split a sack with Sheldon Richardson to force overtime in that game after having an earlier sack called back because of a penalty. In what was his second NFL game, Willekes had four pressures and was one of the Vikings' best defensive players.