Football is a brutal business. One day you're the darling of the special teams unit, flying downfield like a heat-seeking missile, and the next, you're posting a goodbye message on Instagram because your knee just won't cooperate. That's basically the reality for NaJee Thompson. If you've been following the Najee Thompson Minnesota Vikings roster moves over the last couple of years, you know it’s been a rollercoaster of "will he or won't he" regarding his health and his spot on the depth chart.
The Vikings finally made the tough call in April 2025. They waived him with a failed physical designation. It wasn't exactly a shock to those tracking his medical reports, but it still stung for a fan base that had genuinely fallen in love with his "all gas, no brakes" style of play.
The Rise and Fall of a Special Teams Ace
Najee Thompson didn't take the easy route to the NFL. He came out of Georgia Southern in 2023 as an undrafted free agent. Most guys in that position are just camp bodies, but Thompson was different. He had this weird, manic energy on punt coverage. He ended up making the 53-man roster as a rookie, which is basically winning the lottery for a UDFA.
During that 2023 season, he was everywhere. He played 15 games and logged nearly 200 snaps on special teams. He had seven tackles and a massive fumble recovery against the Green Bay Packers. Honestly, he was probably the best gunner the Vikings had seen in years. But then came the Detroit game in January 2024.
He hurt his knee. Specifically, a torn PCL.
The Injury That Wouldn't Quit
This is where things get messy. Instead of going under the knife immediately, Thompson and the medical staff tried the rehab route. It didn't stick. By the time training camp 2024 rolled around, he was stuck on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
The team eventually moved him to Injured Reserve (IR) in August 2024. He sat out the entire season. Think about that—a guy whose whole value is based on elite speed and violent changes of direction, sitting at home while his knee heals. It turns out he eventually had to have the surgery anyway, which essentially flushed his sophomore season down the drain.
Breaking Down the Najee Thompson Minnesota Vikings Roster Moves
When we look at the timeline of the Najee Thompson Minnesota Vikings roster moves, it reveals a team that really wanted to keep him but couldn't justify the roster spot anymore.
- April 2023: Signed as a UDFA.
- August 2023: Defies the odds and makes the initial 53-man roster.
- January 2024: Sustains a significant knee injury in the season finale against the Lions.
- August 2024: Waived/injured, then reverts to IR for the full season.
- April 2025: Waived with a failed physical designation.
The April 2025 move was the final nail. Thompson even took to X (formerly Twitter) to say his goodbyes, thanking the fans and the organization. It was classy. He knew the writing was on the wall. The Vikings were moving into a draft cycle where they needed every bit of roster flexibility they could get. You can't carry a specialist who can't pass a physical when you've got a dozen rookies coming in.
Why the Vikings Moved On
NFL teams are cold. They have to be. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell clearly valued Thompson—you don't keep an undrafted gunner on IR for a full year if you don't like him. But the "failed physical" designation is the ultimate deal-breaker.
If a player can't pass the team's medical exam by the spring, it means the recovery hasn't hit the milestones needed for high-level competition. For a guy like Thompson, whose game is 100% predicated on being faster and more explosive than the guy across from him, a lingering PCL issue is a career-killer.
The Vikings replaced his production by committee. They brought in guys like WR Tim Jones and leaned on other depth players to fill that "savant" role on special teams. It’s a "next man up" league, and unfortunately for Najee, his body just couldn't keep up with his heart.
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The Arizona Attempt and Future Outlook
Interestingly, Thompson didn't just disappear. By July 2025, reports surfaced that he was trying out for the Arizona Cardinals. It showed he was finally healthy enough to at least get a look. While he didn't immediately stick as a superstar elsewhere, the fact that he was back on the workout circuit is a good sign for his long-term health.
As of early 2026, he remains a name that pops up in "futures" discussions. He’s 25. That’s young enough for a second act. If he can prove the knee is stable, some team will take a flyer on him because elite special teams players are rare.
What You Should Take Away
If you're a Vikings fan or a fantasy owner wondering why that #11 jersey isn't on the field anymore, here is the bottom line:
- Health is Everything: Thompson's departure was purely medical. The Vikings didn't "cut" him because of talent; they waived him because he couldn't pass a physical after 15 months of recovery.
- Special Teams Matter: His impact in 2023 showed how much a single undrafted player can change field position. Teams are always looking for the "next Najee."
- Keep an Eye on the Waiver Wire: Just because his time in Minnesota ended doesn't mean his NFL career did. He’s a guy who will likely bounce around practice squads until he finds a coach who values a specialist.
For those tracking roster changes, the most important thing is to watch the "failed physical" tags. They are often the precursor to a player resurfacing six months later with a different team once the rehab finally clicks. Thompson is a fighter—don't be surprised if he shows up on a kickoff return highlight reel for someone else in 2026.
To stay ahead of these changes, monitor the official Vikings transaction wire during the offseason, as that's when the bulk of "non-star" roster churn happens. Keep an eye on his social media for workout clips; in the modern NFL, that's usually the first sign a player is ready for a comeback.