The Minnesota Vikings have finished their rookie minicamp and are now going to focus on their next practices on May 22nd, 23rd and 25th.
With all of the new players on the roster, there are some major questions on the back end of the roster. Here is our first projection on the 53-man roster come week one.
Quarterback
How many: 3
- Kirk Cousins
- Nick Mullens
- Jaren Hall
This could change after training camp with Hall having a phenomenal camp and Mullens gets trade or Hall has an awful camp and they put him on the practice squad. Anything in between says they will keep three quarterbacks.
Running back
How many: 4
- Alexander Mattison
- Ty Chandler
- DeWayne McBride
- C.J. Ham (FB)
This list will not include Dalvin Cook unless the Vikings somehow figure something out with the star running back. It also doesn’t include Kene Nwangwu. While he does offer an excellent ability as a returner, there isn’t any other utility that he brings to the team and the Vikings didn’t bring in other returners this offseason for no reason.
Wide receiver
How many: 6
- Justin Jefferson
- K.J. Osborn
- Jordan Addison
- Jalen Nailor
- Brandon Powell
- Malik Knowles
This is a very interesting group after the top three. Nailor had a really nice end to the season last year, but after that, it’s a massive crap shoot. With Nwangwu not making the team in this prediction, both Powell and Knowles make it with their return and special teams ability.
Tight end
How many: 4
- T.J. Hockenson
- Josh Oliver
- Ben Ellefson
- Nick Muse
The tight end position is going to be a battle after the top two. Mundt loses out here due to the cap savings of $160,000 they would gain by rostering Muse.
Offensive line
How many: 10
- Christian Darrisaw
- Ezra Cleveland
- Garrett Bradbury
- Ed Ingram
- Brian O’Neill
- Chris Reed
- Blake Brandel
- Oli Udoh
- Vederian Lowe
- Alan Ali
No real surprises here, except UDFA Ali getting a roster spot over Schlottmann. Ali has more guard utility than Schlottmann does and comes at a less expensive price. Saving that draft capital for a similar player continues to be the theme.
Defensive line
How many: 6
- Dean Lowry
- Harrison Phillips
- Khyiris Tonga
- Esezi Otomewo
- Jaquelin Roy
- Calvin Avery
This unit is only going to have three returning players on it in Phillips, Tonga and Otomewo. The biggest snubs here are James Lynch and Jonathan Bullard. Both are solid players, but don’t offer any real upside. Avery is a true nose tackle who can two-gap and that gets him a spot on the roster.
Outside linebacker/Edge rusher
How many: 4
- Danielle Hunter
- Marcus Davenport
- Patrick Jones II
- Andre Carter II
The Vikings will try to keep Carter II on the active roster after giving him a record in guarantees for a UDFA not named La’el Collins. The biggest surprise is D.J. Wonnum who will be making nearly $3 million on the salary cap and his role can be easily replaced.
Inside Linebackers
How many: 4
- Brian Asamoah II
- Jordan Hicks
- Troy Reeder
- Ivan Pace Jr.
This is a very difficult unit to pick. With the special teams utility and blitzing acumen that Pace provides, that will be enough to earn him a roster spot on this team. He would likely replace Troy Dye on special teams, who doesn’t make the team in this rendition.
Cornerback
How many: 5
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Andrew Booth Jr.
- Akayleb Evans
- Joejuan Williams
- Mekhi Blackmon
This group doesn’t have a lot of mystery to it. They could choose to keep a sixth cornerback instead of a tight end, but I suspect they will have multiple on the practice squad and call them up on a week-by-week basis.
Safety
How many: 4
- Harrison Smith
- Camryn Bynum
- Lewis Cine
- Jay Ward
The biggest snub here is Josh Metellus. With his excellence on special teams along with capable safety play, you’d love to keep him, but the safety room is a tad crowded. Bynum could be the safety released here depending on how Brian Flores views him, but with his background at cornerback, that versatility keeps him here.
Specialists
How many: 3
- K Greg Joseph
- P Ryan Wright
- LS Andrew DePaola
Zero mystery here. Don’t be surprised if kicker Jack Podlesny makes the practice squad, but he’s a massive longshot to make the final 53.
