Minnesota Vikings Practice Squad

There's no resting once the roster trimming is done. The Minnesota Vikings pieced together their 10-man practice squad yesterday.

Aviante Collins, OT
Devante Downs, LB
Cameron Smith, LB
Dillon Mitchell, WR
Jake Browning, QB
Khari Blasingame, FB
Nate Meadors, CB
Davion Davis, WR
Stacy Keely, DE
Chase McLaughlin, K

Some practice squad thoughts:

Aviante Collins has been with the Vikings in some fashion since 2017. He made three appearances during the 2017 season and was on injured reserve for all of the 2018 season. If not for injuries this training he might have started this season on the active roster. He's a versatile lineman as he can and has played guard and tackle. With a total of 10 players the Vikings have a well-stocked offensive line group. Collins' presence on the practice squad makes it 11.

As a Cal fan, I was hoping that Devante Downs would make the 53-man roster. He made it last year. Even though Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks dominate the linebacker snaps, I thought that he had a shot at more playing time this year. The Vikings went with a light five linebackers on the active roster so Downs and 2019 fifth-round pick Cameron Smith were released. During training camp, head coach Mike Zimmer spoke highly of the linebacker depth and pondered the possibility of keeping seven on the roster. With Downs and Smith on the practice squad I suppose that they did.

The Vikings kept 10 of their 12 rookie draft picks on the 53-man roster. That's a strong total for a team with a lot of talented players. Seeing as a lot of those talented players are highly paid the Vikings need as many of their rookies as possible to make the roster, and play a role, each year. The two rookies that didn't make the active roster were signed to the practice squad.

5th round pick-Cameron Smith, LB
7th-round pick-Dillon Mitchell, WR

Khari Blasingame really impressed me during the preseason. So much so, that I thought that he might take C.J. Ham's job. I even consider the possibility of the Vikings keeping two fullbacks. But that's just silly. Blasingame has an NFL future and it may eventually be at Ham's expense.

The Vikings needed a developmental quarterback on the practice squad. He has a ways to go but Jake Browning was terrific at Washington. He made taking Cal's heart look routine. But then defense was a foreign concept for Cal at the time. I like Browning's potential.

Nate Meadors, Davion Davis, and Stacy Keely were undrafted free agents that showed enough during OTAs, training camp, and the preseason for the Vikings to sign to the practice squad for further developing.

Kicking has been such a mess in Minnesota that the Vikings felt the need to have a kicker on the practice squad. They hoped that kicker would be 2020 fifth-round pick Kaare Vedvik but he was claimed by the New York Jets. That left the Vikings to sign to the practice squad a kicker that they saw kicking for the Buffalo Bills on Thursday. Chase McLaughlin. He has a big leg. He booted a 54-yard field goal against the Vikings and each of his kickoffs was deep in the end zone. Maybe McLaughlin turns into Justin Tucker but it would be best if the Vikings don't need him this year.

There's the 2019 Practice Squad of the Minnesota Vikings. Expect changes.