The Vikings made a minor roster move Tuesday, signing Austin Wentworth to the practice squad and releasing Kendall James to make room for him.
Wentworth, a first-year offensive tackle out of Fresno State, originally made the team as a backup swing tackle but lost his job to Michael Harris, who San Diego waived, less than a day later.
He’s a big dude at 6’5″, and his ability to play both tackle and guard is valuable, especially for a backup. A high-character guy, Wentworth can at times be too slow to stop speed rushers, of which there are many in the NFL. That was what happened when he allowed a safety in preseason Week 3.
Kendall James was the Vikings’ sixth-round draft pick in the 2014 draft. He played at UMaine, where it was tough for him to gain much exposure. He put up a 4.32 second 40-yard dash at his pro day while still recovering from a hamstring injury.
James got a shockingly small number of snaps in the preseason. After notching 5 tackles against Oakland, his reps dramatically decreased. Against Arizona, he played only one snap.