After Preseason Game #3 Vikings 53-man Roster Prediction

The Minnesota Vikings are through three preseason games. So here's a slightly more educated shot at the their 53-man roster.

Quarterbacks
  8 Kirk Cousins
  3 Trevor Siemian
  1 Kyle Sloter

  Cut: Peter Pujals

The only question here is whether Kyle Sloter passed Trevor Siemian on the depth chart. Soter has performed much better in the preseason games. Siemian is the one that's looked like he's yet to throw a regular season pass. I suppose there's the question as to whether the Vikings keep two or three quarterbacks. In my opinion, the Vikings recent run of losing quarterbacks for extended stretches of games answers that question.

Running backs
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Latavius Murray
32 Mike Boone

Cut: Mack Brown, Roc Thomas

Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray are a very nice combo. The competition for the third running back role between undrafted rookies Roc Thomas and Mike Boone has been fun. Both have had terrific moments in the preseason games. It isn't over but Boone has probably shown a bit more.

Fullback
C.J. Ham

IR: Johnny Stanton

Cut: Kobe McCrary, Luke McNitt

C.J. Ham gets the nod. Fullback is still a new position for him and he improved through the 2017 season. It shouldn't be a surprise if the Vikings find a spot for Johnny Stanton on the practice squad if he doesn't win the fullback job. The position's new to him as well. He was a quarterback at UNLV and even had some snaps at linebacker.

Receivers
14 Stefon Diggs
19 Adam Thielen
11 Laquon Treadwell
13 Stacy Coley
84 Chad Beebe

Cuts: Kendall Wright, Tavarres King, Cayleb Jones, Brandon Zylstra, Jeff Badet, Korey Robertson, and Jake Weineke, 

The roster certainties at receiver are Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Laquon Treadwell. Many have written Treadwell off as a bust. I don't think that the Vikings see it that way. He had seven starts last year. There's no doubt that this is a big year for him. He was a first round pick. He has to show first round production. I think that Treadwell has a breakout season this year and gives the Vikings one of the best receiving trios in the league. After the top three, there's question. I'm going with Stacy Coley and undrafted rookie Chad Beebe for now. Late game heroics on Friday and solid play throughout training camp might've earned Beebe as spot on the roster. The one thing keeping Coley from being a sure thing is his availability. He's hurt way too often. Healthy, he's one of the top five receivers but he seems to always be on the sideline. Kendall Wright is the most proven of the receivers fighting for a roster spot. If for no other reason, Beebe edges him simply because of special teams. Beebe plays on them. Wright doesn't. Cayleb Jones, Brandon Zylstra, and Jake Weineke will be tough cuts. All could find a place on the practice squad.

Tight ends
82 Kyle Rudolph
89 David Morgan
83 Tyler Conklin

IR: Josiah Price

Cuts: Blake Bell, Tyler Hoppes

The question at tight end is whether the Vikings keep three or four at the position. If it's three, Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan, and rookie Tyler Conklin are the three. I think it's three because of needs at other positions (offensive line).

Offensive line
71 Riley Reiff
63 Danny Isidora
65 Pat Elflein
74 Mike Remmers
69 Rashod Hill
     Brett Jones
76 Aviante Collins
75 Brian O'Neill
79 Tom Compton
67 Cornelius Edison

IR: Nick Easton, Cedrick Lang

Cuts: Colby Gossett, Josh Andrews, Storm Norton, Dieugot Joseph, J.P. Quinn, Kaleb Johnson, Kareem Are, Jacob Judd

The offensive line has been an issue for a while and there's been issues, health issues in particular, throughout training camp. The loss of left guard Nick Easton for the season was a significant hit. He's athletic and a little nasty. His ability to get under the skin of defensive players was an underrated perk of his game. His ability to get to the perimeter to help on sweeps and screens was critical to the offense. The competition at left guard starts with Tom Compton and Danny Isidora . I'd like to see Aviante Collins more in the mix. He's played some at left guard but he appears to be headed to the swing-tackle role. His athletic ability (4.81 40-yd at the Combine) could replace the athletic ability and mobility the Vikings had with Easton. Injuries have forced the interior of the line to a tag-team affair and it hasn't been pretty. Pat Elflein has been on the PUP list while he rehabs from offseason ankle and shoulder surgery. The Vikings need him back. In case he doesn't come back in time for the start of the season the C/G Brett Jones was acquired from the New York Giants yesterday for a seventh round pick. At least right guard Mike Remmers returned to practice last week. The Vikings need to get their starting five sorted out and on the field as soon as possible. The start of the season is so close. I want to put rookie Colby Gossett on the roster but I haven't seen enough of him to do so.

Defensive line
97 Everson Griffen
93 Sheldon Richardson
98 Linval Joseph
99 Danielle Hunter
96 Brian Robison
94 Jaleel Johnson
92 Jalyn Holmes
90 Tashawn Bower
91 Stephen Weatherly

IR: Hercules Mata'afa, Ade Aruna

Cuts: Ifeadi Odenigbo, David Parry, Curtis Cothran, Jonathan Wynn

Despite a challenge from the corners, the defensive line remains the Vikings' strongest position group. The competition will be fierce and the cuts will be tough. The starters are set with Everson Griffen at right end, free agent addition Sheldon Richardson at 3-technique, Linval Joseph at nose tackle, and Danielle Hunter at left end. Brian Robison, Stephen Weatherly, and Tashawn Bower provide nice depth on the outside. If there's a weakness it's the inexperience on the inside. Jaleel Johnson and Jalyn Holmes are promising youngsters that have to step up. Johnson looks ready. If the inexperience in the middle is too much of a concern for the coaches, David Parry could find a spot on the roster. That could be at the expense of one of the young pass rushers. I just don't see the team paying that price. The Vikings might trim somewhere to keep Ifeadi Odenigbo on the roster.

Linebackers
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
42 Ben Gedeon
50 Eric Wilson
57 Devante Downs

Suspended: Kentrell Brothers

Cuts: Antwione Williams, Reshard Cliett, Garrett Dooley, Brett Taylor, Michael Needham

Antony Barr and Eric Kendricks are the linebacker group. With the Vikings in a nickel defense about 70% of the time these days, they are usually the only two linebackers on the field. As a rookie, Ben Gedeon was the third linebacker in base defense last season. Eric Wilson is a serious threat for that role. As a Cal alum, I'm hoping that rookie Devante Downs can grab a roster. He was a dynamite, do-everything defender before a knee injury cut short a tremendous final season in Berkeley. He has the all-around talent to be an impact player. He just has to stay on the field. Kentrell Brothers has backed up Kendricks for a couple seasons and played a prominent role on special teams. Unfortunately for the team (and player) Brothers is suspended for the first four games. I doubt that it keeps him from making the team but it'll be interesting to see what the Vikings do with his roster spot in those four games. There's a chance that only five linebackers are kept in order to keep extra talent at another position.

Cornerbacks
29 Xavier Rhodes
26 Trae Waynes
23 Terence Newman
20 Mackensie Alexander
21 Mike Hughes
35 Marcus Sherels
37 Holton Hill

Cuts: Jack Tocho, Horace Richardson, Trevon Mathis, Craig James

Seven cornerbacks is an expensive luxury that's paid for by another position.  If one of the seven is in jeopardy of making it seven it's Holton Hill. He looked like a roster-lock in practices but his play in preseason has, at best, been rough. I think that he's too physically gifted and has too much potential to be made available to the league. Despite his struggles in games, the coaches have seen starter ability in Hill. I've never seen the Vikings go this deep at corner with this sort of quality. I remember years in which they had no corners with quality starter ability. The team has put a lot of resources toward the position. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mike Hughes were first round picks by the team. Mackensie Alexander was a second round pick. Terence Newman was a first round pick by the Dallas Cowboys about a hundred years ago.

Safeties
22 Harrison Smith
34 Andrew Sendejo
28 George Iloka
41 Anthony Harris

Cuts: Jayron Kearse, Tray Matthews

This group changed considerably when the Vikings signed former Cincinnati Bengal and Mike Zimmer pupil George Iloka last week. Whether he bumps Andrew Sendejo from the base defense remains to be seen but he upgrades the talent level of the safeties, the defense, and the team. After a couple practices he played and contributed on Friday. He tipped a pass that resulted in the interception by Anthony Harris that triggered the comeback win. The signing also might've cost Iloka-clone Jayron Kearse a spot on the roster. 

Kicker
  7 Daniel Carlson

Released: Kai Forbath

Daniel Carlson won the kicking competition when Kai Forbath was cut last week. Fans and media flipped out when Carlson missed his first two field goals as the undisputed kicker. If he misses kicks in games that matter I'll worry.

Punter
  4 Ryan Quigley

Long snapper
47 Kevin McDermott

***

The real roster-trimming is Saturday.