Vikings Announce Dede Westbrook Signing, Waive Jaylen Twyman With NFI Designation

It's a one-year deal for Westbrook worth a little over $1 million.

The Vikings have officially announced the signing of former Jaguars wide receiver and collegiate star Dede Westbrook to a one-year deal. It's essentially a veteran minimum contract, with a salary of $1,127,500, per KSTP's Darren Wolfson.

Welcome to Minnesota, @DedeTHEGreat11!

📰: https://t.co/xQuYsVsfqg pic.twitter.com/Lhh8JvjUZk

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) July 26, 2021

Westbrook will wear No. 89 in Minnesota, the team announced. His previous numbers 12 (Jaguars) and 11 (Oklahoma) are occupied by Chad Beebe and Kellen Mond, respectively.

To make room for Westbrook on the 90-man roster, the Vikings waived rookie defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman with a non-football injury designation. Twyman, who suffered four gunshot wounds in Washington D.C. last month, will likely clear waivers and revert to the Vikings' Reserve/NFI list. It's a procedural move that the team has to make, similar to what happened with linebacker Cameron Smith after his open-heart surgery last year.

Twyman has recovered well enough from his wounds that he reported to training camp on Sunday with the rest of the rookies. "He believes he will be able to play at some point early this season," his agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter. "Two of the gunshot wounds are completely healed; his pelvis wound still is causing some issues."

Going on the NFI list does not mean Twyman has to miss the entire season, but it does allow the Vikings to add Westbrook to their active roster without getting rid of anyone. Twyman will be unable to practice and will miss at least the first eight games. Here's how the Reserve/NFI list works:

Players on the reserve/non-football injury or reserve/non-football illness lists are ineligible to practice or play in games for the first six weeks of the regular season. After six weeks, a player can begin practicing with their team but cannot be moved to the active roster until after the team has played its first eight games of the season. When a player starts practicing, a three-week window begins in which the player can be moved to the active roster. If a player does not get activated after the three-week window ends, they must remain on the reserve/NFI list for the rest of the season. Only up to two players from the NFI lists are eligible to return to the active roster for each NFL team. NFL teams are not required to pay base salaries to players placed on the reserve/non-football injury or reserve/non-football illness lists.

Westbrook, 27, will compete for the Vikings' No. 3 wide receiver and primary punt returner roles. He started 25 of the 40 NFL games he played in over the past four seasons. Westbrook tore his ACL nine months ago but is reportedly ready for the start of training camp.

The Vikings also announced that they have signed rookies Chazz Surratt, Wyatt Davis, and Patrick Jones II, meaning their entire draft class has been signed.

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