Vikings sign guard Kaleb Johnson, place Nick Easton on injured reserve
The Vikings signed a guard to take the roster spot left open by placing left guard Nick Easton on injured reserve.
Kaleb Johnson, a 2015 undrafted product out of Rutgers, joins the Vikings toward the end of training camp. The 25-year-old former college tackle has not yet appeared in an NFL game. The Vikings are already Johnson’s sixth NFL team.
Johnson (listed 6-4, 300 pounds) was named a Freshman All-American in 2011 after starting for Rutgers as a true freshman right tackle. The Scarlet Knights moved Johnson to guard midway through his college career.
He has since spent time with the Ravens, Browns, Cardinals, Chiefs and Bears. Johnson was most recently released by the Bears on Saturday, just a week after he’d signed. He did not play in Chicago’s preseason game against the Bengals last week.
Coordinator John DeFilippo is familiar with Johnson, having claimed the guard off waivers in 2015 while DeFilippo was the Browns coordinator.
Easton underwent surgery last week to repair a bulging disk in his neck, according to head coach Mike Zimmer. His season is expected to be over.