Vikings Notes: Elflein Claimed by Jets, Samia to COVID List, Dillon Elevated

Pat Elflein's stay on waivers didn't last long, as he was claimed by the team with the top spot on the waiver priority: the 0-9 New York Jets. The Jets were one of six teams to put in a claim; the Jaguars, Washington Football Team, Bears, Dolphins, and Ravens also wanted him.

The former Vikings center and guard was released by the team on Saturday, just one day after being activated from injured reserve. He'll get a chance to go northeast and compete for a starting spot, although Jets guards Greg Van Roten and Alex Lewis have played fairly well thus far.

At the very least, Elflein will be there as depth and will try to impress the coaching staff during practices. He's a free agent after this season, so this will serve as an audition for the Jets to re-sign him in 2021.

Elflein was supposed to be a centerpiece of the Vikings' offensive line for years when they selected him in the third round in 2017, but it didn't work out for him in Minnesota. After a strong rookie year, he struggled with injuries and was never able to be consistently reliable in pass protection. Perhaps a fresh start will rejuvenate Elflein's career.

Samia placed on COVID-19 list, Dillon elevated as replacement

The Vikings officially placed guard Dru Samia on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday. It was reported on Sunday that he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Luckily for the Vikings, no other players were flagged as "high-risk" during the team's contact tracing process. The only person affected is assistant offensive line coach Phil Rauscher, who didn't travel with the team to Chicago.

Because they placed Samia on the COVID list, the Vikings were able to activate a player as a COVID-19 replacement. They chose tight end Brandon Dillon, who was going to be elevated to the active roster anyways. This just saves one of those standard elevations, since each practice squad player is limited to two.

With Irv Smith Jr. out, Dillon will be the Vikings' No. 3 tight end behind Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Conklin. He'll play on special teams and a handful of snaps on offense, but would see an expanded role if either Rudolph or Conklin had to leave the game. Dillon, a 2019 UDFA from tiny Marian University in Indianapolis, was highly impressive during training camp and the preseason last year.

The other practice squad player who was elevated to the active roster is offensive lineman Brett Jones, who will serve as depth on the interior. With Elflein gone and Samia unavailable, Jones and Oli Udoh are the team's only backups who can play guard. Jones is also the backup center.

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