
After failing to acquire defensive end help by the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, the Vikings claimed Jonah Williams off waivers from the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday.
Williams was signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent from Weber State in 2020 and spent last season on the team’s practice squad. The 26-year-old had five tackles in eight games with the Rams this season.
The Vikings were looking to add depth at defensive end after Danielle Hunter was lost for the season on Sunday against Dallas when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle. The Vikings traded backup end Stephen Weatherly to Denver during their bye week.
Coach Mike Zimmer acknowledged Wednesday that the Vikings had tried to add a defensive end through a trade before the deadline a day earlier. The Vikings are expected to start D.J. Wonnum and Everson Griffen at the ends on Sunday against Baltimore.
Williams earned All-America honors at Weber State in 2019 and was named the Big Sky Defensive MVP. He had 15 sacks, ranking ninth in school history, and 28 career tackles for loss. Williams also had 194 total tackles with three fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles.