After their time with the Green Bay Packers ends, it appears that a lot of former players wind up playing for other NFC North teams. Perhaps the most well-known instance of this is when Brett Favre played with the Minnesota Vikings for the final two seasons of his career. Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith just inked a contract with the Vikings following a dramatic conclusion to his stint in Green Bay.
Additionally, two prominent former Packers signed with Minnesota this past offseason: tight end Robert Tonyan and running back Aaron Jones. The former plays as the team’s primary running back, while the latter was just cut.
Former tight end for the Green Bay Packers The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers released tight end Robert Tonyan from their roster. During the fourth quarter of their game on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 85-year-old Robert Tonyan makes a reception for a brief gain. The Green Bay Packers were defeated 23–7 by the Minnesota Vikings.
Following his departure from Green Bay, Tonyan played one season with the Chicago Bears before signing as a free agent with the Vikings this past offseason (as previously indicated). The deal was noteworthy since Tonyan signed with Minnesota, his fourth NFC North team overall.
He spent five seasons in Green Bay before beginning his career on the practice squad of the Detroit Lions. The other two teams in that particular division are, of course, the Bears and the Vikings.
Tonyan struggled with injuries during training camp, which made his stay in Minnesota difficult to begin with. He was named to the practice squad but did not make the 53-man roster for the team.
Tonyan has been added to the active roster by the Vikings after spending the previous three weeks on the practice squad. He did not, however, score a single offensive target. He has actually only made 11 offensive snaps this year.
NFL source Aaron Wilson announced earlier today on X (formerly Twitter) that Tonyan had been let go by Minnesota:
For those who don’t know, Myles Gaskin is a running back. It may be remembered by fans that Jones, another former Packer, exited Sunday’s London game against the New York Jets and Aaron Rodgers due to a hip injury.
Following his release from the Minnesota Vikings, what is next for former tight end Robert Tonyan of the Green Bay Packers?
Robert Tonyan, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers
At Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Sunday, January 1, 2023, during their football game, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) and safety Harrison Smith (22) intercept a pass intended for Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan (85). Wm. Glasheen USA Wisconsin on TODAY Network
Vikings vs. Packers on ABC 3496 010123 Wag
As previously indicated, Tonyan has made three appearances for Minnesota’s practice squad this season. The NFL’s policy that states a player may only be promoted from the practice squad three times per season makes this noteworthy. The Vikings would have to add Tonyan to their 53-man roster in order to elevate him once more.
In light of this, Tonyan has three options moving ahead. He can first sign back with Minnesota’s practice squad, where he will play out the remainder of the 2024 NFL season. The Vikings will probably re-sign him on Wednesday if this is the plan.
The first situation and the second are connected. Tonyan is available for re-signing by the Vikings to their practice squad, but they will need to add him to the 53 in order to employ him on the active roster once more. They most likely would not have let him go if they had intended to accomplish this.
Third, Tonyan is going to sign with a different squad. Given that Minnesota could have just added him back to the practice squad without having to release him on Tuesday, this seems like the most plausible scenario. It’s likely that their time in Minnesota is over since they declined to.
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