Former Detroit Lions RB Ameer Abdullah claimed by the Minnesota Vikings

While the Ameer Abdullah era is over in Detroit, the Lions’ former second-round pick will stay in the NFC North. Abdullah did not clear waivers and was claimed by the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Lions parted ways with Abdullah after re-signing Zach Zenner earlier in the week. Abdullah’s role with the team had been severely limited already, as he was a gameday inactive for all but three games, and when he was activated, he was mostly used on special teams.

The Lions drafting of Kerryon Johnson pretty much spelled the end of Abdullah’s career in Detroit. Now Detroit’s 2015 second-round pick will be joining a Vikings team that has a young back of their own in Dalvin Cook, who has been fighting his way back from a hamstring injury. It’s unlikely that Abdullah goes in and gets significant playing time with the Vikings right away, but it will be interesting to see how the Lions’ divisional rival utilizes Abdullah going forward.