Minnesota waived tight end Brandon Dillon to make room for running back Ameer Abdullah on the active roster.
After Dillon cleared waivers, the Vikings elected to sign him to the practice squad. Dillon played in three games last season. He was targeted just one time, making a reception for six yards, so he’s more of a depth player for the team. He’s also contributed on special teams.
Minnesota took a huge hit to its tight end group when Irv Smith Jr. went down with an injury. That led to the Vikings trading with the Jets for tight end Chris Herndon.
With Tyler Conklin, Herndon and blocking tight end Ben Ellefson all on the roster, the team could afford to waive Dillon.
However, it still helps having a player like Dillon — someone familiar with the Vikings’ offensive system — on the practice squad. So Minnesota made the reasonable choice of keeping him around for the foreseeable future.
In addition to Dillon, the Vikings have one more tight end on the practice squad currently: fifth-round pick Zach Davidson, who is more of a project at this point.