Vikings waive intriguing young corner, likely making room for Ryan Kelly

Dwight McGlothern Jr. was a heralded part of the Vikings' 2024 UDFA class. He could stick around on the practice squad.

Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern (29) covers New England Patriots wide receiver Jeremiah Webb (29) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Vikings announced on Thursday that they've waived cornerback Dwight McGlothern Jr., a former undrafted free agent who has made their 53-man roster in each of his two NFL seasons.

The #Vikings have waived CB Dwight McGlothern Jr.

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 20, 2025

With no immediate corresponding move, the natural assumption is that this might be good news for center Ryan Kelly, who practiced in full on Wednesday and is getting close to returning to action after spending nearly two months on injured reserve. This could be a move to create a roster spot for Kelly, whose activation would come on Saturday if it happens this week.

McGlothern is now eligible to be claimed off waivers by any team on Friday. If he clears waivers, the Vikings could bring him back to their practice squad to continue his development and keep him around as depth at a position where they're not very deep.

This move leaves Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Fabian Moreau as the only cornerbacks currently on Minnesota's 53-man roster. Moreau has stepped into the CB3 role since Jeff Okudah landed on IR with a concussion. The Vikings do currently have three corners on their practice squad: Zemaiah Vaughn, Tyrek Funderburk, and Shemar Bartholomew. They'd need to release someone from the PS if they're going to bring McGlothern back.

"Nudie" McGlothern played at LSU and Arkansas, and he was one of the biggest names in the Vikings' 2024 undrafted free agent class. He quickly began to impress in offseason practices and training camp as a rookie, and it carried over into preseason action. McGlothern looked like a potential steal of a UDFA find.

That looks familiar @nudiemcglothern #ProHogs 🐗 pic.twitter.com/1GsAJ4JOrF

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) August 17, 2024

He made the 53-man roster as a rookie but was a healthy scratch for much of the year. Late in the season, McGlothern appeared in five games and played 20 snaps on defense, as well as 15 on special teams.

This offseason, McGlothern again made his share of plays over the course of training camp, and he again found himself with a spot on the 53-man roster. He was one of just four corners who made it, along with Murphy, Rodgers, and Okudah. But once again, playing time has been hard to find. In eight games this season, he's played 31 defensive snaps and 16 on special teams.

Nonetheless, this move is a bit of a surprise. McGlothern has shown promise in each of the past two offseasons, he's only 23 years old, and he was one of just four cornerbacks on the roster prior to being waived. It'll be interesting to see if he clears waivers and is brought back to the practice squad. The Vikings will presumably elevate a fourth CB to their gameday roster on Saturday, whether that's McGlothern or someone else.

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