The Minnesota Vikings have bolstered their front ahead of Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, bringing Jonathan Harris on to their 53-man roster.
“The #Vikings have signed DL Jonathan Harris to the practice squad,” the Vikings announced in a post on X on September 23, making the move to elevate the 6-foot-5, 295-ound defensive lineman up drom their practice squad final.
Harris, who turned 30 in August, is a former undrafted free agent.
He began his career with the Vikings’ NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears. He split his rookie season in 2019 between the Bears and Denver Broncos.
Vikings Reunite With Jonathan Harris
Harris was with the Vikings this preseasosn, but he was part of their cutdowns to get within compliance with league rules.
He has also been with the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins, but this is his third season with the Vikings. Harris has not seen the field in a regular-season game since 2024 with the Panthers. He has been an off-and-on member of the Vikings’ practice squad since then.
His return to the roster in Minnesota comes amid some changes up front.
The Vikings cut ties with a defensive lineman on Tuesday. They waived Taki Taimani from injured reserve, along with two other players.
Harris has 91 total tackles, 1.0 sack, and 1 fumble recovery in his career. He has appeared in 40 games with nine starts. His last appearance came in Week 16 of the 2024 season. His most recent start was in Week 6 of the 2023 season. The 2-0 Vikings do have some concerns up front.
It has been a slow start for rookie Caleb Banks.
More importantly, though, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is dealing with a hip injury. The San Francisco 49ers also signed Naquan Jones off their practice squad.
The Vikings could be acting proactively, bringing on Harris to take some reps off Ingram-Dawkins or even outright rest him if necessary. The bonus is that Harris has been in this system under defensive coordinator Brian Flores long enough to know the ins and outs.
Vikings Sign 6-Foot-5, 295-Pound Former Bears Defensive Lineman