The Minnesota Vikings closed their preseason with a one-point loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday.
While results do not count towards anything, the loss marks a second-consecutive winless record in preseason. However, the mission of preseason remains the same: evaluating players on the roster bubble.
It’s partly why the Vikings didn’t play many of their starters during the games. For example, Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson spent their time on the sideline without pads, while Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall saw a bulk of the team’s snaps.
Saturday’s game marked a different approach. More and more projected starters or key backups did not appear in the Vikings preseason finale, instead, undrafted free agents and likely roster cuts earned a tryout.
Here are 5 takeaways from those players, who saw most of the first-half snaps.
Jaquelin Roy shines
Rookie defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy missed the first two preseason games with an injury but made his name heard in the Vikings’ final preseason game.
There weren’t many counting stats to take into account, but watching the film showed much of the same as his college film.
Roy made the Cardinals’ backfield his home, impacting the game in various ways. There were still problems against the run, but Roy showed all the makings of an instant-impact pass rusher from the interior.
Roy should make the 53-man roster without much problem, but finding an immediate role might be challenging from the start. However, his ability to impact the game as a pass rusher could help him carve out a hyper-specific role as a rookie as he continues to develop in other aspects of the game.
Rotational lineman make roster decision difficult
While it hasn’t been talked about as much as other positions on the field, the Vikings face a challenging numbers game along the defensive line.
The Vikings likely have five spots filled along the line, including Roy. Provided the Vikings choose to keep six players, the final spot will likely come down to Sheldon Day, T.J. Smith, and Ross Blacklock.
Blacklock finished with a sack against the Cardinals, which could help him push ahead of other players, but it might be challenging to pull ahead of veteran Sheldon Day.
Day had plenty of moments in his action against the Cardinals, including a pass deflection and run stop in the first half. His performance against the Cardinals follows up a strong performance against the Tennesee Titans earlier in preseason.
Jaren Hall has moments, but there's still work to be done
After playing as the second quarterback during preseason, rookie Jaren Hall drew the start in the preseason finale, allowing him to work in a different setting.
On the opening drive, Hall led a 12-play, 70-yard drive down the field, with the offense capping it off with a short rushing touchdown by fellow rookie running DeWayne McBride.
Hall finished his day completing 16 of his 27 attempts for 178 yards and a touchdown. Hall also added 20 yards on the ground.
The rushing yards were an encouraging sign for Hall. Hall had struggled with his pocket presence at times in the postseason, and learning to bail out of the pocket when necessary is the next step in improvement. However, there were moments where Hall bailed too quickly, which will need to be cleaned up before he can be relied on as a starting quarterback.
Thayer Thomas continues to struggle
Undrafted free agent Thayer Thomas was competing with a long list of players for punt return duties, but after three preseason games, it feels like Thomas may have done more harm than good.
After muffing a punt in the preseason opener, Thomas muffed another punt against the Cardinals. Although the Vikings retained possession, the play showcased some fundamental problems with Thomas’ approach. Instead of letting a punt inside the 10-yard line fall, Thomas backpedaled to try and recover it.
Thomas was already a long shot to make the 53-man roster, but two fumbles on special teams will isn’t what you want to see.
Jay Ward makes his name felt
Jay Ward might not have a nickname yet, but it’s only a matter of time before he earns one.
Ward made his presence felt early in the game when defensive coordinator Brian Flores sent Ward on a blitz. Ward was untouched as he delivered a punishing blow on Clayton Tune, forcing a sack and fumble.
Vikings rookie Jay Ward comes through with a huge strip sack
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Ward will likely have a decreased role as a rookie because they’re so stacked in the room, but he should continue to see increased playing time as he continues to grow.
