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Inside The Vikings

Vikings Sign George Iloka to Active Roster, Waive Eddie Yarbrough

The Vikings now have two backup safeties on their 53-man roster.
Will Ragatz|
Vikings Sign George Iloka to Active Roster, Waive Eddie Yarbrough
Vikings Sign George Iloka to Active Roster, Waive Eddie Yarbrough

The Vikings have signed veteran backup safety George Iloka to the 53-man roster, the team announced on Saturday. In a corresponding move, defensive end Eddie Yarbrough was waived.

The Vikings had elevated Iloka from the practice squad to the active roster in each of the last two games. That's the maximum number of times teams can elevate someone from the practice squad. So in order for him to continue to be available, the Vikings signed him to the active roster full-time.

Against Houston, Iloka was forced into action due to the ejection of Harrison Smith late in the first half. He wound up playing 43 defensive snaps, struggling in coverage but posting five tackles and one tackle for loss. It was a difficult assignment considering he had been taking the majority of his reps as the backup nickel corner during the week.

Iloka is the team's No. 3 safety behind Smith and Anthony Harris and also sees the field on special teams. Rookie Josh Metellus is the fourth safety on the active roster. Iloka could also play as a "big nickel" if the Vikings were down to only two healthy corners out of their top five. Cameron Dantzler, Jeff Gladney, and Mike Hughes are good to go this week, with Holton Hill and Kris Boyd questionable for Sunday night's game in Seattle.

Yarbrough had been with the Vikings since January 2020 and made the initial roster out of training camp. He played 22 snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Packers, but then was passed in the depth chart by rookie D.J. Wonnum.

With Yarbrough being waived and DT Albert Huggins being waived earlier in the week, the Vikings currently have only 14 of their 16 practice squad spots filled (including in-season additions Luther Kirk, Cale Garrett, and Abdullah Anderson).

Kicker Chase McLaughlin continues to be their only protected player on the practice squad.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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