Vikings defensive end Kenny Willekes will spend his rookie season on injured reserve.
Willekes was placed on that list Wednesday and won’t be eligible to return to active duty with Minnesota this season because the move came before the cut to 53 players. The seventh-round pick out of Michigan State was one of 15 Vikings draft picks this year.
The Vikings made four other moves that bring them closer to the 53-man limit on Wednesday. They parted ways with running back Tony Brooks-James, linebacker Jordan Fehr, defensive end Stacy Keely and defensive end Anthony Zettel.
Brooks-James ran eight times for seven yards in three games for the Steelers last year while Zettel has appeared in 49 games for the Lions, Browns, Bengals and 49ers over the last four seasons.
