Minnesota Vikings waive Jaylen Twyman and sign Patrick Jones

The Minnesota Vikings made a series of roster moves on Monday, signing three of the players the team selected in the 2021 NFL draft, including former Pitt defensive end Patrick Jones. However, the team also waived former Pitt defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman to clear up roster space for former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Dede Westbrook.

With the signing of Jones, along with former North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt and Ohio State product Wyatt Davis, the Vikings finalized their 2021 draft class. Jones went to the Vikings with the No. 90 overall pick in the third round of the draft and was among the last to sign with the team. Twyman, who played alongside Jones on Pitt’s defensive line, signed with the Vikings on May 14 after they made him the No. 199 pick in the sixth round.

Twyman had just reported back to the Vikings’ training camp on Sunday after a month-long recovery from four gunshot wounds suffered during a visit to Washington, D.C., in June. The wounds Twyman suffered were described as superficial, according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, and his relatively quick return to the field was a promising sign. However, the roster move on Monday represents another setback for Twyman in a difficult year.

With that said, Twyman may still have a chance to suit up for the Vikings in the coming months, as their plan is to move him from the active roster to the reserve and non-football injury list. However, for Twyman to remain on the team, he will have to first clear waivers.