Vikings Claim Andrew Sendejo Off Waivers
The Vikings have claimed safety Andrew Sendejo off of waivers from the Eagles, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
The Eagles waived Sendejo on Tuesday in order to preserve a fourth-round compensatory draft pick. He had appeared in all nine of the Eagles' games – with one start – recording 26 tackles, one sack and one interception.
Sendejo, of course, spent eight seasons with the Vikings prior to joining the Eagles this offseason. The 32-year-old safety went undrafted out of Rice in 2010, spending time with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL, the Cowboys, and the Jets before being signed by the Vikings in November 2011.
With the Vikings, Sendejo started ten games in 2013 and 40 games between 2015 and 2017, recording six interceptions during those seasons.
Sendejo's time in Philadelphia will likely be best remembered for injuring his own teammate, Avante Maddox, with a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit against the Packers. He also committed an ugly unnecessary roughness penalty on a sliding Mitch Trubisky last Sunday.
Sendejo has earned a reputation as a reckless, violent player. He doesn't shy away from that notion, as he notably wore a "Make Football Violent Again" hat multiple times, beginning in 2018 training camp.
Last season, Harrison Smith was asked by the Star Tribune if he worries about friendly fire from Sendejo.
“Friendly fire is actually something you have to look out for. I’ve been friendly-fired by ’Dejo a bunch. That’s his game. He’s a great player. He’s coming in 100 mph and looking to hit something. He plays violent within the rules. Or tries to. I just have to keep my head on a swivel with that guy.”
The Vikings have their starting safeties set in Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris, but Sendejo's return will add a veteran player who knows Mike Zimmer's defense and has plenty of friends on the team. Jayron Kearse played just one snap against the Chiefs after getting into legal trouble last week.
Kearse tweeted his reaction to the signing:
To make room for Sendejo on the 53-man roster, the Vikings are waiving rookie sixth-round safety Marcus Epps. They will reportedly try to bring Epps back on the practice squad.
