Head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores know the preseason visitors well.

But there’s a longer line of connections between the 90-man rosters of the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots.

Here’s a glance through the list of players who’ve had stints with both organizations ahead of joint practices and Saturday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium.

MINNESOTA

Giovanni Ricci, tight end — The 28-year-old Ricci joined the Vikings’ tight end depth chart in June. He had been released by the Patriots as a vested veteran following the 2025 NFL draft after signing a futures contract in February. The former first-team All-MAC selection out of Western Michigan has appeared in 36 games since going undrafted in 2020, doubling as a fullback. Making initial stops wit

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