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11-15-2020, 01:43 AM

Vikings cut Elflein; former starter had slow injury recovery

Associated Press NOVEMBER 14, 2020 — 7:20PM

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings waived guard Pat Elflein on Saturday, in the middle of another injury-impacted season for a player who started 43 games over four years at three positions on the offensive line.
"We just felt like we had some better options," coach Mike Zimmer said.
Elflein was reinstated to the roster from injured reserve on Friday, but his recovery from thumb surgery had been uneven, according to offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak: "He'll have a good practice one day. It'll bother him a little bit the next day."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-cut-elflein-former-starter-had-slow-injury-recovery/573079781/

11-15-2020, 02:52 AM

This is the way.

11-15-2020, 10:30 AM

Its a cold business and I know O'Neill mentioned he loves Elf and he helped him with his game but the Vikes need to shred salaries. And Cleveland is an upgrade so this stuff happens.

11-15-2020, 01:54 PM

Buh-bye.

11-15-2020, 03:07 PM

Quote: @Tyr said:
I'm surprised they didn't keep him around for depth, but maybe injury concerns and knowing that they'd move on from him after this year was enough. He showed a lot of promise early in his career, but whether it was injuries or other issues, he was never able to build off of that early promise. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for him.

Yeah, it's a strange one. At the very least, he's cheap, experienced depth. Vikings certainly don't save much by releasing him, and the group of "better options" Zimmer mentioned is led right now by Dru Samia. Sure, there's a couple younger guys on the PS, but they haven't been made active.

So I have to think there's more to this than meets the eye. And the only thing I can come up with is that maybe the Vikings felt he should've been more willing than he was to play with pain? And they might have a point. I mean, it's a thumb. I remember Boo Boo Rouse going out there with a club on his hand.

11-15-2020, 03:28 PM

He was NEVER the same after that Philly NFCCG, never.

11-16-2020, 05:27 PM

Quote: @MaroonBells said:
LOL Well I guess that answers the question about whether or not he'll start!

Kinda makes you wonder about the injury, especially considering Kubiak's strange description of it. There's more to this I think. Elflein was a terrible pass blocker, but one of the highest graded run blockers on the team...and he's not even worth keeping as depth? Over Dozier? Samia? Jones? Hinton? It's not like he had a huge salary either.

I wonder if they maybe asked him to play on the left again and he said no.

Kinda sounds like he wasn't working to get back, didn't want to be a backup so they said "see ya".

11-16-2020, 07:16 PM

I wonder if he has been unhappy since moving from C. He played OG in college and some stories said he preferred that position, so maybe that's not the issue.

Vikings have had so many offensive linemen who have exactly 1 good season.

11-17-2020, 12:01 AM

Jets jump on Elf... Wink

B)

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/16/jets-claim-pat-elflein-off-waivers-from-vikings/

11-17-2020, 12:33 AM

Quote: @Kentis said:
Jets jump on Elf... B)

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/16/jets-claim-pat-elflein-off-waivers-from-vikings/

So the Jets are just trying to give Trevor Lawrence more reasons to go back to Clemson??