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.
