In advance of their Friday night preseason against the New Orleans Saints, the Minnesota Vikings released the team's first "unofficial" depth chart on Monday. If the depth chart is released by the team I'm not sure how much more official it can be. I suppose that it's called unofficial for at least a couple of reasons. The team is still in camp and it's (preseason) game week so they are probably asked (forced) to release one. No matter the reason, it's still fun to see how the players stack up in the eyes of the people that are far more official than a bunch of online yahoos.
The First Unofficial Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart
OFFENSE
Wide receiver:
19 Adam Thielen
12 Chad Beebe
11 Laquon Treadwell
15 Brandon Zylstra
81 Bisi Johnson
16 Davion Davis
Left tackle:
71 Riley Reiff
76 Aviante Collins
72 Storm Norton
Left guard:
65 Pat Elflein
78 Dakota Dozier
79 Tyler Catalina
Center:
56 Garrett Bradbury
61 Brett Jones
67 Cornelius Edison
52 John Keenoy
Right guard:
64 Josh Kline
63 Danny Isidora
73 Dru Samia
Right tackle:
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
74 Olisaemeka Udoh
Tight end:
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin
89 (David Morgan)
87 Cole Hikutini
86 Brandon Dillon
Wide receiver:
14 Stefon Diggs
18 Jordan Taylor
13 Jeff Badet
17 Dillon Mitchell
85 Alexander Hollins
Quarterback:
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
1 Kyle Sloter
3 Jake Browning
Fullback:
30 C.J. Ham
48 Khari Blasingame
Halfback:
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
31 Ameer Abdullah
23 Mike Boone
32 De'Angelo Henderson
DEFENSE
Left end:
99 Danielle Hunter
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
79 Karter Schult
74 Stacy Keely
90 (Tashawn Bower)
Defensive tackle:
93 Shamar Stephen
92 Jalyn Holmes
51 Hercules Mata'afa
60 Curtis Cothran
Nose tackle:
98 Linval Joseph
94 Jaleel Johnson
96 Armon Watts
60 Tito Odenigbo
Right end:
97 Everson Griffen
91 Stephen Weatherly
68 Ade Aruna
62 Anree Saint-Amour
Weakside linebacker:
42 Ben Gedeon
50 Eric Wilson
43 Reshard Cliett
Middle linebacker:
54 Eric Kendricks
40 Kentrell Brothers
59 Cameron Smith
Strongside linebacker:
55 Anthony Barr
57 Devante Downs
45 Greer Martini
Left cornerback:
26 Trae Waynes
21 (Mike Hughes)
36 Craig James
34 Duke Thomas
44 Nate Meadors
Right cornerback:
29 Xavier Rhodes
20 Mackensie Alexander
49 Bené Benwikere
38 Kris Boyd
24 Holton Hill
Strong safety:
22 Harrison Smith
37 Derron Smith
35 Isaiah Wharton
Free safety:
41 Anthony Harris
27 Jayron Kearse
39 Marcus Epps
SPECIAL TEAMS
Punter:
6 Matt Wile
Kicker:
5 Dan Bailey
Long snapper:
47 Kevin McDermott
58 Austin Cutting
Kick returner:
31 Ameer Abdullah
13 Jeff Badet
81 Bisi Johnson
Punt returner:
31 Ameer Abdullah
12 Chad Beebe
17 Dillon Mitchell
(Physically Unable to Perform/Non-Football Injury)
Some thoughts:
Quarterback
It's still early but it looks like the backup job is Sean Mannion's to lose.
Running backs
By many training camp accounts, rookie Alexander Mattison looks just like the back that the Vikings selected him in the third round to be. With Ameer Abdullah listed as the top kick and punt returner, it looks like he has a strong hold on a roster spot.
Receivers
Until the final roster says differently, I've come to the thinking that the Vikings will keep five rather than six receivers. That has more to due with the team having four tight ends that I see making the roster than the team not having six receivers worthy of a roster spot. So far, there appear to be only three receiver locks: Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Chad Beebe. After that, it's wide open. Olabisi Johnson has become the one to watch for me.
Tight ends
With the way that the tight end group has been performing throughout camp, David Morgan really needs to get back on the field soon. As the best blocker of the bunch, his place on the team seemed a lock as recently as a week ago. Now, he might be sleeping a less easily. The group has been playing so well that there apparently has even been talk among the team's decision-makers of keeping five tight ends.
Offensive line
The team's biggest problem has become one of the most settled position groups. At least among the five starters. There's considerable competition for all of the backup spots. Olisaemeka Udoh is one of the players that I'm most interested to see play in the preseason. He's such a raw player that he probably needs at least a year on the practice squad. However, I'm afraid that his natural size and talent and his potential are such that the team won't be able to sneak on the practice squad.
Defensive line
The defensive line is going to be so tough to trim. The defensive ends behind Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter appear set with Stephen Weatherly and emerging Ifeadi Odenigbo. But the team has to find a way to keep the freakishly athletic Ade Aruna. There are at least six defensive tackles that I want to see among the final 53.
Linebackers
The most interesting aspect of the linebacker group is the competition at backup middle linebacker between Kentrell Brothers and rookie fifth-rounder Cameron Smith. The Vikings pretty much know what they have in Brothers. He's been a very good special teams player and has had scattered opportunities on defense. At roster-trimming time, unless he struggles I give the edge to Smith simply due to his potential as a rookie.
Cornerbacks
As an optimist, I see Mike Hughes back from last season's knee injury and ready for the season. Until then, there's reason for concern at cornerback. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackensie Alexander form a strong top-3. But teams need more than three corners in today's NFL. Hughes will provide a fourth. Holton Hill's eight-game suspension is an obvious problem. It's tough to have one of your better corners unavailable for an avoidable reason. I don't see it costing him his spot with the team but he sure put them in a bind. That prompted the Vikings to go out and add veteran Bené Benwikere. Hill's absence will probably be Benwikere's opportunity. Seventh-round rookie Kris Boyd is probably on a path to round out the group.
Safeties
Like linebacker, I don't see a lot of surprises or questions with the safeties. Harrison Smith, Anthony Harris, and Jayron Kearse are locks. I've liked Marcus Epps to make the roster since he was drafted. AAF standout Derron Smith is challenging Epps for that spot.
Special teams
One of the most interesting camp battles was, and is, long snapper. Kevin McDermott has been the long snapper for a while. Austin Cutting was selected in the seventh round to take it from him. Teams don't usually draft long snappers so the job would seem to be the rookie's to lose. I still see Cutting being the Vikings long snapper but he has to earn it. It was a bit of a surprise to see Ameer Abdullah listed as the top kick and punt returner. I expected to see Chad Beebe at the top of the punt returner depth chart.
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