Welcome to the beginning of our 2023 season preview content!
Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at each player on the roster in-depth with backgrounds and how they currently project forward on the Minnesota Vikings roster.
What is the best-case scenario? What is the worst-case scenario? What should we expect from them during the preseason and beyond? We will break all of that down here.
As a staff, all of us at Vikings Wire ranked the entire 90-man roster 1-90 and will be releasing player profiles in reverse order.
Background
Name: Andre Carter II
Rank: 75
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 260
Experience: Rookie
College: Army
Stats (at Army): 99 tackles, 25 TFL, 20 sacks, 5 forced fumbles
Votes:
Tyler Forness: 75
Kevin Fielder: 76
Judd Zulgad: 75
Saivion Mixson: 75
Average: 75.25
Best case scenario
Despite going undrafted, Andre Carter II was once drawing first-round hype from people in the media. Whether that was hyperbolic, there’s clearly talent to work with and mold for the Vikings.
Carter is a classic low-floor, high-ceiling player, and that’s something the Vikings are taking a chance on. If he develops, Carter has the physical build to be a top-edge rusher and make the Vikings look like bandits for signing him as an undrafted free agent.
Worst case scenario
Despite having a solid physical build, Carter looked rather pedestrian at times for Army and during the pre-draft process. Those moments likely pushed him down draft boards and made him an undrafted free agent.
There’s a good chance that Carter doesn’t develop into anything in the NFL, becoming a footprint in history for the Vikings. This is the “low floor” part of Carter’s evaluation.
What to expect in 2023
The Vikings liked Carter because they gave him a hefty undrafted free-agent deal to secure his services. While that deal doesn’t guarantee Carter a spot on the 53-man roster, it does mean there’s a real possibility he’s part of the team’s practice squad.
If that’s the case, expect him to spend most of his time in the weight room and practice fields this season, hardly seeing the time as a week-to-week elevation. Carter needs a lot of seasoning and likely won’t be game ready for the 2023 season.
