Jordan Kunaszyk Plays a Lot Four Days After Signing With Vikings

Ex-Cal linebacker Jackson Sirmon performs well in NFL preseason game; Patrick McMorris not as productive as he was last week

Jets linebacker Jackson Sirmon makes a tackle on Panthers wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Just four days after signing with the Minnesota Vikings, former Cal linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk played more than half the Vikings defensive plays in their 27-12 victory on Saturday over the Cleveland Browns, Kunaszyk’s team a year ago.

Kunaszyk was on the field for 38 defensive snaps, which was 59% of Minnesota’s total defensive plays. He contributed three tackles, including two solo stops.  All three of his tackles came on pass plays, limiting the completions to 6 yards, 4 yards and 8 yards.

If Kunaszyk can show that he can play adequately in pass coverage, he has a shot to make the Vikings’ 53-man regular-season roster.  Presumably the Vikings would not have signed Kunaszyk as a free agent on Tuesday if they didn’t think he could make the roster or at least be an important member of their practice squad.

Elsewhere, former Cal safety Patrick McMorris played 25 defensive plays for the Miami Dolphins in 13-6 victory over the Washington Commanders on Saturday, but he was not as productive as he had been the previous week.

McMorris, a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, caught everyone’s attention last week when he had a team-high eight tackles, two tackles for loss and one pass defensed.

On Saturday against Washington, however, McMorris had just one tackle, that coming on a 12-yard completion, although he also recovered a fumble. McMorris also played 10 plays on special teams, and if he is going to make the Dolphins’ roster he needs to show he can be a factor on special teams.

Former Cal inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon had a good game for the Jets, in their 15-12 win over the Panthers on Saturday.  Sirmon is trying to make the Jets’ roster as an undrafted free agent, and he may have helped himself by recording four tackles, three of which were solo stops.

Three of his tackles came on running plays, and he assisted on a 1-yard loss, although he did not get credit for a tackle for loss.  He also had a solo stop for no gain as well as a tackle on gain of 7 yards. Sirmon's ability to defend the pass will be critical to his chances of making the team and he had one tackle on a pass reception of 6 yards.

Sirmon played six plays on special team, and like Kunaszyk and McMorris, what Sirmon does on special teams may determine his fate when it comes to cutdown dates.

NFL teams can keep 90 players on their roster until the August 27 cutdown date, when they must get down to the 53-man regular-season roster.  There are no more cutdown dates prior to the final cutdown next week, but players can be cut in the meantime.

Each team can carry as many as 17 players on its practice squad, and Kunaszyk, McMorris and Sirmon all could wind up on practice squads, which wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world for them.