Vikings Veteran QB Bolts for NFC Rival

Getty David Blough (right) signed with the Arizona Cardinals on December 14.

The Minnesota Vikings are suddenly down a quarterback with only four games remaining in the season.

Veteran quarterback David Blough, who left the Detroit Lions to join the Vikings practice squad in September, was signed by the Arizona Cardinals on December 14, per the league transaction wire. The move comes after Kyler Murray went down with a season-ending ACL tear in Week 14.

Blough has the chance to backup Colt McCoy in Arizona, while Minnesota is down to Nick Mullens behind starter Kirk Cousins.

“You could see it in practice that he’s very talented and he’ll do well, and I’m happy for him to have an opportunity,” Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen told Pioneer Press reporter Chris Tomasson.

Unprotected practice squad players can be signed by other teams, so long as they are signed directly to the active roster, an opportunity most players pounce on.

Blough was a fan favorite on “Hard Knocks: Training Camp With the Detroit Lions.” last offseason with the Lions.  Viewers got to know the Purdue product and his wife, U.S. Olympic track star Melissa Gonzalez. Blough, making an honest assessment of his abilities as an athlete, quipped that he’d make a lot more money if he were as fast as his wife.

David Blough Was Vital in Helping T.J. Hockenson Transition to Vikings Offense

While Blough was the third quarterback on the depth chart, he played a valuable role for Minnesota, helping translate the playbook for Lions teammate T.J. Hockenson after the Pro Bowl tight end arrived after the trade deadline.

On Tuesday, November 1, the Vikings sent Detroit two draft picks to acquire Hockenson. He flew into Minnesota that night, got his iPad from the team staff and got to studying the next three days. Hockenson played every down against the Washington Commanders just five days after his trade and caught all nine targets he saw for 70 yards.

He credited Blough with helping him translate similar concepts into the Vikings’ offensive language.

“Him just having the quarterback knowledge and understanding reads and where they’re looking and what we’re doing helped me a ton this week,” Hockenson said, per Inside the Vikings. “I met with him last night to go over everything and he was like ‘You’re ready, dude. You got this.’ That meant a lot to me, to have the confidence to come out here and do it.”

That experience proved to be a warm welcome for the Iowa native whose dad is a diehard Vikings fan.

“This has just been awesome,” Hockenson said. “My last four days have been incredible and the guys in this locker room are so great. They helped me throughout the process, with learning the offense and with figuring everything out. It’s just such a great group of guys to be around.

“This locker room, these coaches, these people, the community, just hearing the fans out there and how they travel. I mean, they’re already yelling my name. It’s pretty sweet and I’m really happy to be part of this organization and part of this team. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Vikings Sign Defensive Tackle to Fill Practice Squad Spot

With a vacant spot on the Vikings practice squad, Minnesota signed veteran defensive tackle Sheldon Day.

A seventh-year veteran, Day has played in 67 games and made three career starts. Last season, he played in seven games and saw one start with the Cleveland Browns. A 2016 fourth-round pick, Day has played with the San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts as well.

Day has proven to be a solid rotational defender and a rock-solid run-stopper in his career.