David

Morgan

Morgan was a backup option behind Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith, so he had no future within the organization. He’ll look to make the back-end of a roster this offseason once his knee injury gets cleared.

He’ll remain on the PUP list and miss the remainder of the season. Blocker Morgan has 16 career grabs since entering the league in 2016.

Morgan will miss at least the first six weeks of the season as he recovers from a knee scope over the summer. Scopes are typically healed within a month, so there’s obviously more going on here than has been reported. Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith are the top two tight ends followed by Tyler Conklin.

Morgan has started 12 games over the past two seasons, but he’s seldom been used as more than just an extra blocker. Kyle Rudolph and second-round pick Irv Smith Jr. will get the majority of reps at tight end even after Morgan returns to the field. Both Rudolph and Smith Jr. will be low-floor plays on a weekly basis in the Vikings’ run-first offense.

The 2016 sixth-rounder logged 231 snaps as a blocking tight end last season. Morgan should be ready for the start of training camp next month, though even at full strength he’s no better than third on the team’s tight end depth chart behind Kyle Rudolph and rookie second-rounder Irv Smith.

Morgan gets a $135,456 signing bonus at his draft slot. He showed well in agility drills in pre-draft workouts, but ran extremely slow at 5.02 in the forty. Morgan’s ticket to the roster will be special teams and blocking skill.

Morgan (6'4/262) made 22 starts for the Roadrunners, compiling a career receiving line of 85-1,104-8 (13.0 YPR) and earning second-team FCS All-American honors as a senior. Although Morgan shined in agility drills and pumped 29 reps on the bench, he ran 5.02 at the Combine and will struggle to get open against pro linebackers and safeties. Morgan’s NFL ticket is his solid blocking ability. He could become a Michael Hoomanawanui type.