Breaking news: Minnesota Vikings part ways with defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings

The Minnesota Vikings have waived defensive tackle Jaylon Hutchings due to a non-football-related injury, bringing a temporary halt to his time with the franchise.

According to reports, the issue is a hamstring injury and is not considered serious in the long term. Hutchings will now go through the NFL waiver process, where the other 31 teams have the opportunity to claim him within a 24-hour period.

If he is not picked up, the Vikings will have the option to release him to free up a spot on their 90-man offseason roster or place him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list, which would allow them to retain his rights while keeping him off the active roster.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a standout 2025 season with the Calgary Stampeders, where he emerged as one of the league’s top defensive players. He recorded 39 tackles, eight sacks, and forced a fumble across 17 regular-season games, earning All-CFL honours and being rated as the league’s top defensive performer by Pro Football Focus.

Hutchings initially joined Calgary late in the 2024 season, appearing in two games before breaking into a starting role the following year. Prior to his CFL success, he had a brief spell with the Chicago Bears but was released toward the end of training camp.

Before turning professional, Hutchings built an impressive college résumé at Texas Tech University, where he played 61 games and totaled 193 tackles, including 26 for loss, along with 11 sacks and multiple turnovers. However, a knee injury late in his college career impacted his draft prospects heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.