Vikings Suddenly Terminate Contract of 26-Year-Old Defender

The Minnesota Vikings have ended their relationship with defensive tackle Taki Taimani, waiving the 26-year-old nose tackle from injured reserve as part of a modest roster shuffle after a 2-0 start, via the NFL transaction wire.

Taimani, listed at 6-foot-1 and 324 pounds, is now a free agent. The move followed an earlier August designation: Minnesota waived him injured on Aug. 24, and he reverted to injured reserve a day later after going unclaimed.

Cutting him from IR typically involves an injury settlement, after which he can sign with another team once the settlement window and a short waiting period expire.

The Salt Lake City product joined the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon after the 2024 draft.

He spent four seasons at Washington before transferring to the Ducks for 2022 and 2023, where he was valued more as a run-stuffer than a stat-sheet presence.

He made Minnesota’s initial 53-man roster as a rookie and appeared in seven games in 2024, recording three tackles before an ankle injury sent him to injured reserve.

In 2025, he was waived at final cuts, spent time on the practice squad, and was signed back to the active roster on Jan. 2, 2026. He played two more games and added one tackle. Career totals: nine games, four tackles, no sacks.

That limited production, combined with an undisclosed injury this summer, left him on the fringe of a defensive line that Minnesota is still shaping early in the season.

The Vikings announced the Taimani move alongside practice-squad releases of wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph and cornerback Bryce Phillips, while adding veteran punter Johnny Hekker and running back Jaret Patterson to the practice squad.

For Taimani, the next step is medical clearance and a new opportunity.

Interior linemen with his size and college pedigree often find work as depth pieces or practice-squad anchors, especially if they can stay healthy.

For Minnesota, the transaction is housekeeping more than a statement: a third-year undrafted player who never seized a lasting role, moved off the books so the club can keep tinkering with special teams and the bottom of the roster while sitting first in the NFC North.

Whether Taimani lands elsewhere in 2026 will depend on how quickly he recovers and how many teams need a heavy body in the middle.

His Vikings chapter, which began with an unexpected roster spot in 2024, is closed.