Bryson Nesbit is getting another shot in Minnesota.
The former North Carolina tight end has been added to the Vikings’ practice squad, giving the team some extra depth at a position that has been hit by injuries. Minnesota had already shown interest in Nesbit before; he originally signed with the club as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2025, was waived during roster cuts before the season, and then came back the next day on a re-signing.
He still hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game for the Vikings, but he did get work in the preseason last year. In that stretch, Nesbit caught three passes for 29 yards and a touchdown, which at least gave Minnesota a look at what he can offer. With the tight end group thinned out, that familiarity could matter now.
As things stand, Nesbit joins a room that includes starter TJ Hockenson, Gavin Bartholomew, and Ben Yurosek as the only tight ends on the active roster. That leaves the Vikings having to piece things together this week against the Detroit Lions.
At North Carolina, Nesbit built a solid four-year résumé. He finished his Tar Heel career with 107 receptions for 1,510 yards and 13 touchdowns. His top season came in 2023, when he posted 41 catches for 585 yards and five touchdowns and earned All-ACC honors.
Minnesota and Detroit are set to kick off Sunday at 10:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m ET at Ford Field in Detroit.
In Other News...
Bill Belichick's Real Power At UNC May Be Coming Into Focus
North Carolinas front office reshuffling has turned into one of the more revealing storylines around the Tar Heels football program. The school suspended Michael Lombardi from his general manager role on July 27 amid an HR investigation, and he formally resigned in early September, leaving the program to sort through a job that has become increasingly important as college football keeps borrowing more from the pro model.
The search for a replacement is already underway, with former Michigan GM Sean Magee helping consult on the process. What makes the next hire especially interesting is the possibility that the role could be built to report to both athletic director Steve Newmark and head coach Bill Belichick, a structure that would say a lot about how much influence Belichick is expected to wield in Chapel Hill and how UNC wants its football operation to function moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Downs Just Put UNC Fans On Trade Watch
The NFL trade market has started to swirl around a familiar name for North Carolina fans, with former Tar Heels wide receiver Josh Downs now asking the Colts for a move. Downs is in the final year of his rookie contract, and his name has already been floating in trade talk as Indianapolis continues to reshape its roster with a string of notable departures, including Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. For UNC supporters, it is another reminder of how quickly the NFL side of the pipeline can turn into a waiting game.
Downs has long been one of the more recognizable Carolina receivers to follow at the next level, and his situation now sits in the same conversation as teammate Jonathan Taylor. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, have their own receiver story unfolding back in Chapel Hill with Jordan Shipp and the broader push to keep that position producing at a high level. For a fan base that tracks both the college and pro arcs closely, this is the kind of roster-watch wrinkle that can change the mood around a Friday night or Sunday afternoon in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Misses On Five-Star As This Recruitment Slipped Away Fast
North Carolina had a real shot in the mix for five-star prospect Asa Montgomery, but the rising 2027 guard is headed to Duke instead, narrowing one of the more closely watched recruiting battles on the board. Montgomery picked the Blue Devils over a group that included UNC, UConn, Georgia Tech and LSU, a reminder of how quickly elite recruiting can turn when a player starts separating himself from the pack.
For the Tar Heels, the miss adds another layer to a rivalry that tends to show up in the recruiting lanes long before it ever reaches the court. Dukes class keeps building around top-end talent, while UNC now has to keep pressing ahead with other targets and make up ground elsewhere in a cycle where every high-end decision matters. [Read more 🡒]