The Minnesota Vikings have released an injured linebacker and brought in a free agent who previously played for the Cleveland Browns. The official team account for Minnesota made the announcement on Tuesday, August 13. The Vikings have signed LB Jordan Kunaszyk and waived/injured LB Jabril Cox. The post stated, “The Vikings have signed LB Jordan Kunaszyk and waived injured LB Jabril Cox.” Cox was waived with an injury designation after suffering a groin issue during the preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on August 10.
Kunaszyk joined the Vikings after spending two years and playing 20 games for the Cleveland Browns. He served as a linebacker and was a regular on special teams, where he excelled.
According to Pro Football Reference, Kunaszyk played a total of 442 special teams snaps and 157 defensive snaps for the Browns over the past two years. In 2022, he saw more action on defense due to injuries to Cleveland’s linebacking corps. He played in 15 games that year, earning two starts and recording 22 combined tackles, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble.
Last year, Kunaszyk made just five appearances for the Browns as the team was healthier. Despite limited playing time, he had a quality coverage grade of 73.1, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Vikings hope that Kunaszyk can serve as a rotational inside linebacker behind projected starters Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman. Additionally, he is expected to contribute to the kickoff and punt teams. Minnesota’s defense operates with a 3-4 base, where outside linebackers primarily focus on pass rushing. This has not been Kunaszyk’s strong suit since entering the NFL in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers. He also spent two years with the Washington Commanders before joining the Browns.
In more significant injury news, the Vikings have lost rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a knee injury that requires surgery. The team held a press conference where they revealed that McCarthy suffered a meniscus tear and will undergo surgery later this week. Head coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned that McCarthy sustained the injury during Saturday’s game against the Raiders. Despite the injury, McCarthy played the full 30 snaps as planned by his coaches, suggesting that he played at least some of the game after tearing the ligament.
O’Connell stated, “At this point, I would be speculating on a timeline for his return. Hopefully, it will be a shorter timeline rather than a longer one, but our priority right now is identifying the injury. We will determine the severity once the procedure is done.”
The Vikings will begin their season on September 8 against the New York Giants, likely with Sam Darnold as the starting quarterback.
Photo from Jordan Kunaszyk Instagram
