Minnesota Vikings

Vikings place Easton on injured reserve, sign guard Johnson

Published Aug. 13, 2018 4:44 p.m. ET

EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings have placed guard Nick Easton on injured reserve with a neck injury that required surgery and has likely ended his season.

The Vikings made the move Monday, filling Easton's roster spot by signing guard Kaleb Johnson.

Easton, who started 12 games at left guard last year, had a procedure done on Thursday to repair a bulging disk in his neck. Tom Compton is the front-runner to replace Easton, with Danny Isidora and Aviante Collins also being considered during the preseason.

The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Johnson has joined his sixth NFL team. Undrafted out of Rutgers in 2015, Johnson has not appeared in a regular-season game. He was released by Chicago on Saturday.