The Vikings have placed tight end and blocking specialist Ben Ellefson on injured reserve, the team announced on Thursday. He'll miss at least three games after suffering an injury during Wednesday's practice. It's unclear if he has a chance to return later in the season or if this is something that could end his 2021 campaign.
Ellefson was claimed off waivers from the Jaguars prior to the start of the season. Despite only playing in four of six games, he has as many snaps this year (74) as Chris Herndon, who the Vikings used a fourth-round pick to acquire from the Jets (along with a sixth) in the wake of Irv Smith Jr.'s season-ending injury. From Weeks 2 to 5, Ellefson served as the Vikings' No. 2 tight end.
Primarily a blocker, Ellefson only ran a route on 13 of his 74 snaps this year. He has one target, which he dropped.
The Vikings were without Ellefson in Week 6, so they signed 33-year-old veteran Luke Stocker to the practice squad and elevated him to play against the Panthers. Stocker saw 10 snaps and Herndon played a season-high 24 as the depth options at TE behind Tyler Conklin. Offensive lineman Mason Cole also played four snaps as an extra OL.
Stocker was protected on the practice squad this week, so I'd expect him to be elevated again to face the Cowboys. The Vikings also have Brandon Dillon and Zach Davidson on their practice squad, but they seem to trust Stocker's experience as a blocker.
Ellefson, 25, is a Minnesota native who went undrafted out of North Dakota State in 2020. He spent the first year-plus of his NFL career with the Jaguars.
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