The Minnesota Vikings have recently been a busy team, adding one of the most notable in-season free agents in recent memory by signing quarterback Daniel Jones to the practice squad. Jones has not been active yet but can be considered an option for the bridge QB duties in the 2025 season. On Tuesday, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made two more moves.
Vikings Say Goodbye to 2 Players
The purple team has released veteran running back Myles Gaskin and experienced long snapper Jake McQuaide.
Gaskin has been on and off the 53-man roster for quite some time now.
The runner spent the majority of the 2023 season on Minnesota’s practice squad, with a short stint on Sean McVay’s Rams. He appeared in three games (two with the Vikings) and played ten special teams snaps. His time as a productive NFL running back might be over after only carrying the ball ten times in 2022 and not a single time last year.
The 2019 seventh-round pick started games in Miami in 2020 and 2021. In his four years with the Dolphins, Gaskin rushed for 1,355 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 701 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a pass-catcher.
This year, Gaskin was released ahead of the roster cutdowns but re-signed with the Vikings’ practice squad. He was promoted to the 53-man roster after two weeks and remained there despite Cam Akers joining the team.
Gaskin was active in five of the franchise’s first 12 contests, playing seven snaps on offense and 26 on special teams. He logged three carries for -1 yard, one reception for 11 yards, and three kick returns for 60 yards.
McQuaide, meanwhile, was signed to the practice squad in November and was promoted once the Vikings ran out of gameday elevations. He replaced long snapper Andrew DePaola, who had suffered a broken hand in the win over the Indianapolis Colts, in the lineup.
The special teamer has also snapped for the St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Detroit Lions.
Now, however, DePaola had his practice window opened, and he seems to be a good bet to suit up on Sunday, considering that his replacement is no longer around.
McQuaide came into the league in 2011 and has already competed in 194 games. He will turn 37 on December 7th.
There’s no need to keep an extra long snapper in the building, but Gaskin seems to be primed for another stint on the practice squad, and he will likely return in the upcoming days. The Vikings employ four running backs without Gaskin: Aaron Jones is the unquestioned starter, while Akers and Ty Chandler function as his backups. Zavier Scott is on the practice squad.
Gaskin is 27 years old, and the Vikings seem to like him as a depth running back and kick returner.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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