The Minnesota Vikings will host the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium, on Sunday, with a chance to start the 2024 season 3-0, and put the entire National Football League on notice. This is a team that is dealing with injuries on both sides of the football, though.
That’s why, in week 3, the Vikings will activate two practice squad players. It’ll be the first game day elevation this year, for rookie OLB Bo Richter and veteran TE Robert Tonyan.
Minnesota Vikings activate EDGE Bo Richter
Bo Richter was a fan favorite during Minnesota Vikings training camp, and the preseason, where he managed 3 tackles and 2 sacks on 86 total defensive snaps. He scored a 66.7 preseason defensive grade at PFF, including a 77.9 run defense grade.
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In college, Richter was an animal at Air Force, especially as a senior in 2023, where he racked up 45 tackes, including 20 tackles for loss, which led the entire country. Out of those 20 TFLs, 10 were sacks. If Richter gets run on Sunday, I’d expect it to come on early downs, to help stop the run.
Vikings activate TE Robert Tonyan
Robert Tonyan was the talk of the town, when training camp first got going. Nobody could believe how good he looked, in the absence of TJ Hockenson. Some wondered if he would challenge for the starting job, while Hock continued his recovery from knee surgery.
Unfortunately, camp injury issues stopped that from ever blossoming into reality. But, he’ll be active vs the Texans. Tonyan has a history of productive tight end play, for division rival Green Bay. In six seasons in the NFL (5 with Packers), Tonyan posted 1,549 yards on 148 catches.
In 2020, with Aaron Rodgers as his QB, the now 30-year-old out of Indiana State caught 52 of his 59 targets, for 586 yards (11.3 YPR) and 11 touchdowns. If healthy, Robert absolutely adds another pass catcher to a tight end room that already has a couple. We’ll see if he gets any run, on Sunday.
