Minnesota Vikings Practice Squad

An NFL Practice Squad is often more fluid than an NFL roster. For the time being this is the Minnesota Vikings 2017 Practice Squad.

Elijah Lee, LB
Ifaedi Odenigbo, DE
Horace Richardson, CB
Dylan Bradley. DT
Kyle Carter, TE
Cayleb Jones, WR
Bronson Hill, RB
Kyle Sloter, QB

There are two more spots to fill and I feel that the Vikings are dragging on those moves/announcements simply to drive me mad. Despite the too fluid nature of an NFL roster and all it's parts I just want to see this step in the roster formation process completed. Then I can look to next Monday's season opener against the New Orleans Saints.

Elijah Lee and Ifaedi Odenigbo were drafted rookies that were on the wrong side of a talent-glut at their respective positions. Especially Odenigbo on the defensive line.

Horace Richardson and Dylan Bradley were undrafted rookies that showed enough potential to retain.

Kyle Carter's the practice squad veteran. He was on it last year and returns this year. It's hard to know for sure from the fan-side of the decision-making process but it sounded like Carter nearly made the roster this year. The Vikings did some juggling of the tight end position over the cut-down weekend. Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan, and sixth-round rookie Bucky Hodges made up the initial final tight end group. Blake Bell, cut by the San Francisco 49ers, was added and Hodges was released with an injury designation. That tight end-juggling could mean that Carter will be on the verge of a spot on the 53-man roster all season. But aren't all practice squad members a step away from a roster spot?

Cayleb Jones signed a futures contract at the conclusion of the 2016 season. He had some bright moments in training camp and especially in the final preseason game. His presence on the practice squad will be a season-long threat to the receivers on the roster.

Kyle Sloter is the most intriguing practice squad addition. He's the only player that came from another team. As an undrafted free agent out of Northern Colorado he played really well for the Denver Broncos in the preseason. So well that many consider him an automatic for the Broncos' 53-man roster. That changed when Brock Osweiler became available over the weekend. The Broncos the big, unwanted QB in favor of the young, intriguing one. The Vikings paid heavily to secure Sloter on their practice squad. The minimum pay for a practice squad player is $7200/week. Stoler is getting $20,000/week. He's getting nearly as much as the veteran minimum on the active roster. The Vikings only have two quarterbacks on the active roster. Kyle Sloter is now QB3.

If only the Vikings would announce those final two players....

Update: The Vikings finally eased my angst. Basketball player turned tight end turned tackle Cedrick Lang and center Cornelius Edison filled the final two spots on the practice squad. Lang, released by the Denver Broncos, is likely seen as a project simply due to his lack of experience playing football. Edison, released by the Atlanta Falcons, had been with the Chicago Bears the past two seasons. He bounced back and forth from their practice squad and the active roster last season so he does have some NFL experience.