Getty Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson came to the defense of Kirk Cousins after an embarrassing loss to the Cowboys on November 20, 2022.
The Minnesota Vikings added an NFL veteran to the wide receiver room Tuesday but had to part ways with a player who was something of a fan favorite to make space on the roster.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via Twitter May 31 that the Vikings had signed wideout Albert Wilson for the 2022 season.
Former Dolphins’ free-agent WR Albert Wilson has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, per source. @DrewJRosenhaus and @RyanMatha confirmed the deal.
“Former Dolphins’ free agent WR Albert Wilson has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, per source,” Schefter wrote. “@DrewJRosenhaus and @RyanMatha confirmed the deal.”
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Wilson Contributed Solidly as Pass Catcher for Chiefs, Dolphins
GettyFormer Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson played the last three seasons with the Miami Dolphins before signing a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings on May 31, 2022.
Wilson began his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, signing as an undrafted free agent there in 2014. The wide receiver spent the next four seasons of his career with the Chiefs before joining the Miami Dolphins in 2018.
Wilson appeared in 34 games across three campaigns in Miami, earning starts in 12 of those contests. Over the course of his seven-year NFL career, Wilson has amassed 218 catches for 2,499 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. His career yards per catch average is 11.5 yards per reception.
After catching just 25 passes for 213 yards and failing to find the end zone during his last season with the Dolphins, Wilson does not figure to arrive in Minneapolis as one of the top targets for quarterback Kirk Cousins. The wideout will join a wide receiver group headlined by Pro Bowl pass catcher Justin Jefferson and veteran Adam Thielen. As of Wednesday, June 1, the Vikings’ depth chart listed Wilson as a third-string player, per ESPN.
Vikings Cut Fan Favorite Rusher AJ Rose to Make Room for Wilson
Courtesy of VikingsRunning back A.J. Rose Jr. had some promising moments for the Minnesota Vikings during the preseason but was ultimately released by the team on May 31, 2022.
In order to bring Wilson into the fold, the Vikings were forced to make space on the 90-player offseason roster by releasing running back A.J. Rose Jr., who made an impression on Vikings Nation early in his tenure with the team.
Rose spent his rookie season as a member of the franchise, signing with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent last year out of the University of Kentucky. The young running back immediately endeared himself to Vikings fans with a stellar performance in the team’s opening preseason matchup against the Denver Broncos. Rose carried the ball 25 times, rushing for 100 yards in the process, and hauled in an 18-yard reception.
Despite Rose’s early preseason success, he never saw the field in a 2021 regular season game, spending much of the year on the Vikings’ practice squad.
Minnesota actually released the running back on December 21 while in the midst of a late-season push to make the playoffs. However, the Vikings re-signed Rose just two days later after Pro Bowl rusher Dalvin Cook came up positive for COVID-19 and was forced to miss a mandatory 10 days due to his unvaccinated status.