By Blessing 
The Vikings have added a familiar name from within the NFC North. On Thursday, they announced the signing of veteran offensive tackle Matt Nelson, while placing rookie defensive lineman Alexander Williams on waivers with an injury designation. It marks the second day in a row the team has made minor tweaks at the bottom of their 90-man roster.
Nelson, now 29, spent the last four seasons with the Detroit Lions, appearing in 43 games and starting 14 of them. His most active year came in 2021, when he started 11 games during a rough 3-win season for Detroit. Known for his work at right tackle and in heavy formations as an extra lineman, Nelson brings experience and size to the Vikings’ offensive line group. A University of Iowa product, he signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and had a short stint with the Giants last offseason.
As for Williams, the rookie lineman joined Minnesota in May. Despite his towering 6’7″, 291-pound frame and impressive build, injuries limited his college career across stints at Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Middle Tennessee State. Still, his sheer presence was hard to miss during offseason workouts.
Nelson now joins a competitive depth chart behind starters Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.