EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings rookie defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, who has been recovering from four gunshot wounds, likely won’t play in the first half of the season.
Twyman, a sixth-round draft pick from Pittsburgh, was waived Monday per NFL procedure. He must clear waivers before he can revert to the reserve/non-football injury list and not count against the 90-player roster limit. The reserve designation means he can’t start practicing with the team until six weeks into the regular season and can’t play in the first eight games.
Twyman was shot in his native Washington, D.C., a wrong-place, wrong-time incident that occurred when stray bullets hit a vehicle he was riding in last month. Twyman did not need surgery and has been expected to fully recover from the exit wounds to his arm, shoulder, buttocks and leg, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said at the time.
Twyman was the 199th overall pick, after opting out of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with an eye toward providing financial help for his mother and brothers.
The move with Twyman was made to make room for fifth-year wide receiver Dede Westbrook, who formally signed Monday with the Vikings.
The Vikings also signed three rookies to complete contracts for their 10-player draft class: linebacker Chazz Surratt, guard Wyatt Davis and defensive end Patrick Jones II. All of them were taken in the third round. Undrafted rookie kicker Riley Patterson was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – In this Aug. 31, 2019, file photo, Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Twyman (97) takes the field with his team to play an NCAA college football game against Virginia in Pittsburgh. Minnesota Vikings rookie defensive tackle Twyman has been recovering from four gunshot wounds. He likely will not play in the first half of the season. He was a sixth-round draft pick from Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
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