Former Eastern wide receiver Erik Lora has been released by the Minnesota Vikings, the team announced on Monday.

Lora was one of thirteen players cut by the team on Monday, as NFL rosters have until 3 p.m. Tuesday to trim their rosters to a maximum of 75 players.

Lora did not appear in any of the Vikings’ first three preseason games. He went undrafted in May and was signed as a free agent after the draft. All undrafted free agents get three-year contracts with non-guaranteed base salaries of $420,000, $510,000 and $600,000 in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. Lora received a signing bonus of $1,500 from the Vikings, according to ESPN.

As a junior, Lora set an FCS record with 136 catches for 1,664 yards in his 2012 season playing with the now-New England Patriot Jimmy Garoppolo. Lora has 123 catches for 1,554 yards and 19 touchdowns in his senior season.

Lora, a native of Miami, Fla., was a two-time Walter Payton Award finalist while at Eastern. He was voted fourth for the Walter Payton Award in 2012 and seventh last year.

Garoppolo to start final preseason game

The New England Patriots will start former Eastern quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Thursday against the New York Giants, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday.

Schefter said Garoppolo is expected to start and play the majority, if not all, of Thursday’s game.

Despite making Garoppolo the starter, the Patriots have not yet named their No. 2 quarterback. Garoppolo has been competing with former University of Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, who was picked in the third round of the 2011 draft.

Mallett is not expected to play in Thursday’s game, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport. The Patriots do not want to risk injury to Mallett with potential trade opportunities down the road, according to Rappaport.

Garoppolo is 24-for-37, throwing for 334 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in his first three preseason games with the Patriots.

New England’s preseason finale kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Thursday against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Dominic Renzetti (@domrenzetti) can be reached at 581-2812 or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu.