Minnesota Vikings sign Simoni Lawrence

Aug 9, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of Minnesota Vikings helmets during the second half against the Houston Texans at the Metrodome. The Texans won 27-13.Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 9, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A general view of Minnesota Vikings helmets during the second half against the Houston Texans at the Metrodome. The Texans won 27-13.Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Minnesota Vikings have just added a fellow Minnesotan to their roster. Simoni Lawrence, a former Minnesota Gopher, has been signed by the Vikings. According to ESPN,

"Lawrence was last with a NFL team in 2011, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut him during training camp. He spent 2011 playing for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League.The 6-foot-1 linebacker had 52 tackles and three interceptions in 2013 for the Hamilton Tiger Cats. He has never been elevated above a team’s practice squad, and would seem like a long shot to do more than that with the Vikings — players signed this time of year are typically added to fill out rosters for OTAs, minicamps and training camp — but if Lawrence can make it, he’d have another chance to play at the university’s TCF Bank Stadium."

It will be interesting to see what kind of role Lawrence will be playing in Minnesota. As stated above, signings that occur around this time of the offseason are primarily for filling out OTAs and practice squads. Do you think this was a smart move for Minnesota; to sign someone with experience where they are playing next season?

Feel free to sound off in the comments section below.