EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings have been without Michael Pierce for the past four games with an elbow injury, and will now be without the mammoth defensive tackle even longer.
Minnesota announced Saturday that Pierce is going on Injured Reserve, meaning he must miss at least three games before he is eligible to return.
Pierce joined the Vikings as a free agent in the spring of 2020 and voluntarily opted out of that season to due COVID-19.
He played the first four games of the 2021 season — collecting a pair of sacks in the season opener — and was on the field for 120 total defensive snaps in those games.
Pierce was injured during practice before the Vikings Week 4 game against the Browns, but aggravated the injury during that game.
He had missed games against Detroit, Carolina, Dallas and Baltimore (his former team), and now cannot return until Week 13 against Detroit at the earliest.
View photos of the Vikings 53-man roster as of Jan. 5, 2022.

1 K Greg Joseph

1 K Greg Joseph

3 P Jordan Berry

16 P Jordan Berry

7 CB Patrick Peterson

7 CB Patrick Peterson

8 QB Kirk Cousins

8 QB Kirk Cousins

11 QB Kellen Mond

11 QB Kellen Mond

12 WR Dede Westbrook

12 WR Dede Westbrook

14 QB Sean Mannion

14 QB Sean Mannion

15 WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

15 WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

17 WR K.J. Osborn

17 WR K.J. Osborn

18 WR Justin Jefferson

18 WR Justin Jefferson

20 CB Harrison Hand

20 CB Harrison Hand

22 S Harrison Smith

22 S Harrison Smith

23 S Xavier Woods

23 S Xavier Woods

24 CB Mackensie Alexander

24 CB Mackensie Alexander

2 RB Alexander Mattison

2 RB Alexander Mattison

26 RB Kene Nwangwu

26 RB Kene Nwangwu

3 CB Cameron Dantzler

27 CB Cameron Dantzler

29 CB Kris Boyd

29 CB Kris Boyd

30 FB C.J. Ham

30 FB C.J. Ham

31 RB Wayne Gallman

31 RB Wayne Gallman

4 RB Dalvin Cook

33 RB Dalvin Cook

35 TE Luke Stocker

35 TE Luke Stocker

41 LB Chazz Surratt

41 LB Chazz Surratt

42 LS Andrew DePaola

42 LS Andrew DePaola

44 S Josh Metellus

44 S Josh Metellus

45 LB Troy Dye

45 LB Troy Dye

48 LB Blake Lynch

48 LB Blake Lynch

52 G Wyatt Davis

52 G Wyatt Davis

55 LB Anthony Barr

55 LB Anthony Barr

56 C Garrett Bradbury

56 C Garett Bradbury

58 DT Michael Pierce

58 DT Michael Pierce

59 LB Nick Vigil

59 LB Nick Vigil

64 T Blake Brandel

64 T Blake Brandel

69 T Rashod Hill

69 T Rashod Hill

74 G Olisaemeka Udoh

74 G Olisaemeka Udoh

75 T Brian O'Neill

75 T Brian O'Neill

78 G Dakota Dozier

78 G Dakota Dozier

83 TE Tyler Conklin

83 TE Tyler Conklin

85 WR Dan Chisena

85 WR Dan Chisena

90 DT Sheldon Richardson

90 DT Sheldon Richardson

92 DT James Lynch

92 DT James Lynch

91 OLB Patrick Jones II

91 DE Patrick Jones II

94 DT Dalvin Tomlinson

94 DT Dalvin Tomlinson

96 DT Armon Watts

96 DT Armon Watts

98 DE D.J. Wonnum

98 DE D.J. Wonnum
The Vikings will rely on Dalvin Tomlinson and Armon Watts up front, as the latter has stepped into Pierce's starting role of late. Minnesota also has Sheldon Richardson and James Lynch on the active roster at defensive tackle.
Minnesota also made two more roster moves, elevating safety Myles Dorn and cornerback Tye Smith from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of Week 10.
Dorn made his NFL debut in Week 9 against the Ravens, playing 10 snaps on special teams. He helped spring Kene Nwangwu for his 98-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
Smith is a veteran of 41 career NFL games, including seven starts. He was with Seattle in 2015 before making all of his starts with Tennessee in 2017 and 2019-2020. The Vikings added Smith to the team in early June.