Things Change

The Minnesota Vikings' roster has undergone a lot of recent change. Two years ago they were a game away from a Super Bowl appearance. 2017 was a great, fun season right up until the terrible, sad end to it. The Vikings team that will eventually take the field for the 2020 NFL season won't look much like the team that made it to the NFC Championship game in 2017. It was only three years ago but a lot has changed.

Offense

Quarterbacks (4)
Kirk Cousins
Sean Mannion
Jake Browning
Nate Stanley

Players from 2017: 0

Running Backs (5)
Dalvin Cook
Alexander Mattison
Mike Boone
Ameer Abdullah
Tony Brooks-James

Players from 2017: 1
Dalvin Cook
Cook's rookie season ended in the fourth game.

Fullbacks (2)
C.J. Ham
Jake Bargas

Players from 2017: 1
C.J. Ham

Receivers (12)
Adam Thielen
Justin Jefferson
Olabisi Johnson
Tajaé Sharpe
K.J. Osborn
Chad Beebe
Davion Davis
Alexander Hollins
Dillon Mitchell
Quartney Davis
Dan Chisena
Bralon Addison

Players from 2017: 1
Adam Thielen

Tight Ends (5)
Kyle Rudolph
Irv Smith Jr.
Tyler Conklin
Brandon Dillon
Nakia Griffin-Stewart

Players from 2017: 1
Kyle Rudolph

Offensive Line (16)
Riley Reiff
Pat Elflein
Garrett Bradbury
Dru Samia
Brian O'Neill
Ezra Cleveland
Rashod Hill
Dakota Dozier
Aviante Collins
Oli Udoh
Brett Jones
Blake Brandel
Kyle Hinton
Jake Lacina
Brady Aiello
Tyler Higby

Players from 2017: 4
Riley Reiff
Pat Elflein
Rashod Hilll
Aviante Collins

8/44 offensive players on the current 87-man roster were on the 2017 roster.

Defense

Defensive Line (15)
Danielle Hunter
Shamar Stephen
Michael Pierce
Ifeadi Odenigbo
D.J. Wonnum
Jalyn Holmes
Jaleel Johnson
Armon Watts
Hercules Mata'afa
Kenny Willekes
James Lynch
Anthony Zettel
Stacy Keely
Eddie Yarbrough
David Moa

Players from 2017: 4
Danielle Hunter
Shamar Stephen
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Jaleel Johnson

Linebackers (9)
Anthony Barr
Eric Kendricks
Eric Wilson
Ben Gedeon
Cameron Smith
Troy Dye
DeMarquis Gates
Blake Lynch
Jordan Fehr

Players from 2017: 4
Anthony Barr
Eric Kendricks
Eric Wilson
Ben Gedeon

Cornerbacks (11)
Mike Hughes
Jeff Gladney
Holton Hill
Cameron Dantzler
Harrison Hand
Kris Boyd
Nevelle Clarke
Nate Meadors
Mark Fields
Marcus Sayles
Kemon Hall

Players from 2017: 0

Safeties (5)
Harrison Smith
Anthony Harris
Josh Metellus
Brian Cole II
Myles Dorn

Players from 2017: 2
Harrison Smith
Anthony Harris

10/40 defensive players on the current 87-man roster were on the 2017 roster.

Special Teams (3 Players)

Kicker
Dan Bailey

Punter
Britton Colquitt

Long Snapper
Austin Cutting

0/3 special teams players on the current 87-man roster were on the 2017 roster.

***

Only 18 of the players on the current 87-man roster of the Minnesota Vikings were on the 2017 team. That's 20.7%. I knew that there had been a significant roster churn over the past three offseasons. I never would've guessed that only a fifth of the current roster was 2017 roster. I would've guessed that number to be closer to a third. A three-years roster turnover like this looks, on paper, like a rebuild. The Vikings just missed the playoffs in 2018, won a playoff game in 2019, and are a projected contender in 2020. It's not a rebuild. It's just change.