The Minnesota Vikings activated suspended wide receiver Michael Floyd to the 53-man roster and released running back Stevan Ridley prior to Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Floyd, 27, was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. He was arrested for DUI on Dec. 12 in Scottsdale, Ariz., prompting his release two days later from the Arizona Cardinals. He pleaded guilty in February to extreme DUI (blood alcohol content of .150-.199) and served 24 days in Maricopa County (Ariz.) Jail before having to serve 96 days on house arrest.
Floyd signed a one-year contract with the Vikings as a free agent on May 10. He spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Cardinals and New England Patriots, who gave him a second chance by claiming him off waivers on Dec. 15. He played sparingly for New England but did catch a touchdown pass in Week 17.
Floyd caught a pass for nine yards in the Patriots’ AFC divisional playoff win over the Houston Texans but was inactive for the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LI.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Floyd, a former first-round pick (13th overall) of the Cardinals, owns 246 receptions for 3,781 yards and 24 touchdowns in 78 games (47 starts) since entering the league in 2012.
The Vikings last week signed Ridley, who is entering his seventh NFL season. He rushed for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns for New England in 2012 before a season-ending knee injury in 2014. Ridley had brief stints with the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons in 2016 after playing in eight games with the New York Jets the previous season.
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