Tag: Anthony Barr

Vikings sign LB Anthony Barr to active roster, Nick Vigil to practice squad

The Vikings made two roster moves on Friday afternoon

The Minnesota Vikings made two roster moves on Friday afternoon. Just a few days after placing both tight end T.J. Hockenson and outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum on injured reserve, the Vikings signed inside linebacker Anthony Barr to the active roster and inside linebacker Nick Vigil signed to the practice squad to fill the vacated spot.

The Vikings added Barr to the practice squad with the injury to Jordan Hicks suffered against the New Orleans Saints. Barr played against the Denver Broncos the following week. He has played in two games thus far with the Vikings in his second stint.

Vigil has been with the Vikings since cut down day up until last week when he was released from the practice squad to allow Hicks to return from injured reserve. Vigil’s stink on the free agent market lasts only one week as he returns to the practice squad on Friday afternoon.

With the move to add Barr to the active roster, the Vikings have one more spot open on the active roster.

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7 Linebacker additions to help with Cowboys with the home stretch

The Cowboys could use some linebacker help heading into the playoffs. Here’s a look at who is available. | From @ArmyChiefW3

The debate was settled when Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons effectively told everyone that he would be crowding the line of scrimmage, instead of the Twitter-induced idea of playing off-the-ball linebacker. Parsons leads or is near the top in almost every statistical category yet the knee-jerk reaction to switching positions set the world on fire after a poor run-defense game against Buffalo.

With Parsons cemented as a pass rusher, it still doesn’t solve the Cowboys issue at their thinning linebacker group. The return of Cowboys defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins from a high ankle sprain would certainly help but he didn’t suit up against Miami and is questionable a week later for the tilt against Detroit.

Dallas entered the season light at the position and made some head-scratching moves that placed them in the spot they are in now. To supplement the lack of depth, the Cowboys utilized safeties to help stabilize their issues. While it may be easy for some to just say “go get a guy,” the guys available may come with issues of their own.

Vikings elevate Anthony Barr to active roster, keep Justin Jefferson on IR

Barr will play in his second-consecutive game on Monday night

Ahead of Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bears, the Minnesota Vikings elevated inside linebacker Anthony Barr to the active roster. He played in 12 snaps against the Denver Broncos and made a couple of tackles as well.

The one thing the Vikings didn’t do was activate wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He was downgraded to out.

This was reported multiple times over the last few days, including on Thanksgiving Day by The Athletic’s Diana Russini. With the Vikings on a bye next week, it makes sense to proceed with caution.

The Vikings and Bears kick off on Monday night at 7:15 CST.

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Vikings make 5 roster moves, distictions for Week 11 vs. Broncos

The Vikings made several moves, including elevating Anthony Barr

The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday night in the Mile High City.

The final injury report left the Vikings with a lot of questions on who would be playing on Sunday night. On Saturday, the Vikings made five different roster moves and distinctions. Here are the moves the Vikings made ahead of Sunday.

Vikings 53-man roster, elevation-eligible players vs Broncos in Week 11

The 53-man roster and practice squad saw multiple changes this week

The Minnesota Vikings are set to play in their third primetime game of the season when they face the Denver Broncos on Sunday night.

The last time the Vikings faced off against the Broncos, they came down from a 20-0 deficit and beat the Broncos 27-23 with a goal-line stand. The last time the two teams played in Denver, it was the Stefon Diggs breakout party, but Peyton Manning outdueled Teddy Bridgewater for a 23-20 victory.

Both of these teams are riding winning streaks with the Vikings having won five-straight and the Broncos winning three-straight.

The Vikings made multiple roster moves throughout the week which will impact Sunday’s game.

Vikings announce new number for Anthony Barr

Barr called up his old friend to get permission to wear his new number

Earlier this week, the Minnesota Vikings reunited with outside linebacker Anthony Barr. But not everything is going to be as it was, namely Barr’s jersey number.

The Vikings announced that Barr will have a new jersey number from his previous stint with the club. In Barr’s initial time in Minnesota, he wore number 55. Now fans will have to adjust to seeing him in the number 54.

While fans may not be used to seeing Barr in the number 54, they should be familiar with seeing the number on the field. Before Barr, the jersey was worn by former Vikings middle linebacker Eric Kendricks. Barr reached out to his former college and pro teammate Kendricks before taking the number, and with his blessing that is the number Vikings fans will be seeing Barr in on Sunday night against the Broncos.

Barr’s number change comes due to his old number already being taken by fellow linebacker Andre Carter. The rookie from Army has appeared in five games for the Vikings, recording just one tackle on the season. Carter also plays on special teams, seeing just over 40% of the special teams snaps this season.

During his first stint with the Vikings, Barr was arguably one of the best linebackers in the league, making four straight Pro Bowls from 2015 to 2018. Barr comes back to Minnesota after the injury to Jordan Hicks to give the team some much-needed depth at the position.

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Vikings agree to a reunion, sign LB Anthony Barr

Anthony Barr is back with the Vikings after a one-year absence

Sometimes, the timing is just right for a reunion.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Minnesota Vikings are signing linebacker Anthony Barr to the practice squad. Barr spent eight seasons with the Vikings before spending 2022 with the Dallas Cowboys.

This is a reunion of potentially epic proportions. Well, that might be slight hyperbole, but it’s both an intriguing signing while also being cool for the fanbase.

The Vikings made Barr the ninth overall draft pick in 2014, the first of the Mike Zimmer era. He was initially thought to be an edge rusher, but Zimmer had different ideas for Barr, making him a menacing linebacker by using his excellent size and athleticism in space.

In Brian Flores’ defense, Barr could be an interesting weapon. Ivan Pace Jr. is a unique inside linebacker being a great blitzer and using his body as a weapon. Barr’s strength at this point is going to be patrolling the second level and being deployed on a blitz.

They are bringing in Barr in lieu of the Jordan Hicks injury. It may just be a week or two for Hicks, but they don’t trust the depth that they have in Brian Asamoah II, Troy Dye and Nick Vigil.

The simulated A-gap pressures may very well be back in vogue for the Vikings’ defense.

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Giants meet with LB Anthony Barr but no deal is imminent

Veteran linebacker Anthony Barr did meet with the New York Giants after all, but no deal between the two sides is imminent.

The New York Giants met with veteran linebacker Anthony Barr on Thursday, which came more than a week after general manager Joe Schoen said no meeting was scheduled and that the team intended to take a longer look at second-year linebackers Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers.

What changed over that span is unclear, but there is no deal imminent between the Giants and Barr.

Josina Anderson of CBS Sports was the first to report that Barr intended to visit the Giants. That came prior to Schoen’s statement on McFadden and Beavers.

Earlier this week, defensive coordinator Wink Martindale said McFadden was currently leading Beavers in the battle to earn a starting job alongside Bobby Okereke. However, he also suggested that he’d be open to more bodies at the position if Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll wanted to go in that direction.

“I’m open to adding anybody that Joe and Dabes think that we need,” Martindale said.

The 31-year-old Barr was a first-round pick (No. 9 overall) of the Minnesota Vikings in the 2014 NFL draft. He spent the first eight seasons of his career in the Twin Cities before spending 2022 with the Dallas Cowboys.

Barr, a four-time Pro Bowler, has appeared in 112 career games (108 starts) and recorded 553 tackles (370 solo, 41 for a loss), eight forced fumbles, 48 QB hits, 18.5 sacks, one safety, 32 passes defensed, five interceptions and one defensive touchdown.

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Report: Saints work out former Giants, Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith

Report: Seeking improved defensive depth, the Saints work out former Giants and Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith

This could be an interesting move: TheScore’s Jordan Schultz reports that the New Orleans Saints brought in linebacker Jaylon Smith for a workout in the wake of Anthony Barr’s visit on Monday.

Smith, 28, has spent most of the last two years with the New York Giants after starting his career with the Dallas Cowboys back in 2016. He’s started 69 of the 87 games he’s played in the NFL, as well as four playoff games. He also had a two-game cameo with the Green Bay Packers in 2021.

Smith’s career was derailed by a catastrophic knee injury in his final college game at Notre Dame, costing him his entire rookie season and dropping him out of first-round consideration; it turned out to be one of a few incidents that ignited a wave of withdrawals by top NFL draft prospects in bowl season that continues to this day.

To his credit, Smith has gone on to put a nice career together for himself, and he’d be a good fit in New Orleans behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner. Head coach Dennis Allen recently acknowledged that he hasn’t seen anyone emerge out of the group of first- and second-year pros and journeymen special teamers to win that opportunity.

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Giants won’t visit with LB Anthony Barr

The New York Giants won’t visit with veteran LB Anthony Barr despite reports, general manager Joe Schoen says.

Editor’s note: General manager Joe Schoen told reporters on Wednesday morning that the team will not meet with Barr despite reports. Schoen says the coaches will, instead, take a longer look at Darrian Beavers and Micah McFadden.

The New York Giants entered the offseason thin at linebacker and things only got worse following the loss of veteran Jarrad Davis.

While they did add the talented Bobby Okereke, their remaining depth is lacking. Currently, they are slated to rely on second-year linebackers Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers, who is returning from a torn ACL.

The names behind McFadden and Beavers inspire little confidence.

But there is a potential solution out there and the Giants apparently intend to explore it. Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports that the team is working to schedule a visit with free agent linebacker Anthony Barr.

The 31-year-old Barr was a first-round pick (No. 9 overall) of the Minnesota Vikings in the 2014 NFL draft. He spent the first eight seasons of his career in the Twin Cities before spending 2022 with the Dallas Cowboys.

Barr, a four-time Pro Bowler, has appeared in 112 career games (108 starts) and recorded 553 tackles (370 solo, 41 for a loss), eight forced fumbles, 48 QB hits, 18.5 sacks, one safety, 32 passes defensed, five interceptions and one defensive touchdown.

Following a workout and physical earlier this week, Barr was expected to sign with the New Orleans Saints but ultimately left without a deal. As Anderson notes, the veteran linebacker wants to explore his options and visit with other teams, including the Giants, where he could potentially earn a starting job.

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