The Minnesota Vikings announced the signing of 13 players to the practice squad yesterday. With COVID being a daily threat to all players on the team, the practice squad has been increased to 16 players. The threat of this damn virus is surely one of the reasons that the Vikings' practice squad is topped by two quarterbacks.
Minnesota Vikings' Practice Squad
3 Jake Browning, QB
7 Nate Stanley, QB
15 Alexander Hollins, WR
86 Brandon Dillon, TE
40 Jake Bargas, FB
61 Brett Jones, C
76 Aviante Collins, G/T
68 Kyle Hinton, G
64 Blake Brandel, T
48 Blake Lynch, LB
26 Nate Meadors, CB
32 Mark Fields II, CB
44 Josh Metellus, S
The Vikings selected a whopping 15 players in the 2020 NFL Draft. That's a record for a seven-round draft. Nine of the 15 made the active roster. Seventh-round defensive end Kenny Willekes is on injured reserve. Four of the five remaining draft picks were signed to the practice squad.
Blake Brandel
Josh Metellus
Nate Stanley
Kyle Hinton
Seventh-round safety Brian Cole II is the lone 2020 draft pick to not make the roster in some fashion.
Among undrafted rookies, receiver Dan Chisena is on the active roster and safety Myles Dorn was placed on injured reserve. Fullback Jake Bargas and linebacker Blake Lynch are undrafted rookies on the practice squad.
COVID concerns boosted the size of this year's practice squad. It also provided teams with the opportunity to sign some veteran players to the practice that ordinarily wouldn't qualify. Brett Jones is one such veteran player.
The Vikings have three more practice squad spots to fill. One of those is expected to be filled by kicker Chase McLaughlin. It's something of a return to Minnesota for McLaughlin as he spent nine days on the Vikings' practice squad last year. If COVID were to strike down Dan Bailey, it's wise to have a kicker on the ready. It's especially wise if that kicker already has nine days of experience with the team's kicking battery of holder Britton Colquitt and long snapper Austin Cutting.
If the McLaughlin practice squad signing happens, two practice squad spots remain. Both will probably be announced a moment after this is posted.
Update: According to Darren Wolfson, the Vikings added former Texans, Eagles, Patriots, and Lions defensive tackle Albert Huggins to the practice squad.
And the final practice squad spot is taken by linebacker Hardy Nickerson Jr. After initially making the Vikings' 53-man roster, Nickerson was released after Ryan Connelly was claimed off waivers.
The Vikings' 16-man Practice Squad:
3 Jake Browning, QB
7 Nate Stanley, QB
15 Alexander Hollins, WR
86 Brandon Dillon, TE
40 Jake Bargas, FB
61 Brett Jones, C
76 Aviante Collins, G/T
68 Kyle Hinton, G
64 Blake Brandel, T
48 Blake Lynch, LB
26 Nate Meadors, CB
32 Mark Fields II, CB
44 Josh Metellus, S
Chase McLaughlin, K
Albert Huggins, DT
47 Hardy Nickerson, Jr., LB
Until the next practice squad change...
Monday, September 7, 2020
Sunday, September 6, 2020
Minnesota Vikings Initial 53-man Roster
The Minnesota Vikings trimmed their roster to 53 players yesterday. There were some surprises. Perhaps the most surprising was having only two safeties on the roster. That surely won't be the case for long. An NFL roster is a very fluid thing. The Vikings will make some changes before this weekend is done.
The Vikings got to the initial 53-man roster yesterday by releasing the following players.
Jake Bargas, FB
Blake Brandel, T
Jake Browning, QB
Nevelle Clarke, CB
Aviante Collins, G
Quartney Davis, WR
Brandon Dillon, TE
Myles Dorn, S
Mark Fields II, CB
Nakia Griffin-Stewart, TE
Kyle Hinton, G
Alexander Hollins, WR
Brett Jones, C
Jake Lacina, C
Blake Lynch, LB
Nate Meadors, CB
Josh Metellus, S
Dillon Mitchell, WR
David Moa, DT
Steven Parker, S
David Reese II, LB
Nate Stanley, QB
Due to the potential for COVID-related issues the practice squad limit has been boosted to 16 players. Many of the players that the Vikings released yesterday will remain in Minnesota.
Linebacker Ben Gedeon was moved from the active PUP list to the reserve PUP list. As a result he will miss at least the first six regular season games.
Here's the resulting Minnesota Vikings' 53-man roster.
Offense (26 Players)
Quarterbacks (2)
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
Running Backs (4)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone
31 Ameer Abdullah
Fullbacks (1)
30 C.J. Ham
Receivers (7)
19 Adam Thielen
18 Justin Jefferson
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
11 Tajaé Sharpe
17 K.J. Osborn
85 Dan Chisena
Tight Ends (3)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin
Offensive Tackles (4)
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
74 Oli Udoh
Guards (4)
65 Pat Elflein
78 Dakota Dozier
72 Ezra Cleveland
73 Dru Samia
Centers (1)
56 Garrett Bradbury
Defense (24 Players)
Defensive Ends (6)
99 Danielle Hunter
91 Yannick Ngakoue
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
57 D.J. Wonnum
52 Eddie Yarbrough
90 Jalyn Holmes
Defensive Tackles (5)
93 Shamar Stephen
96 Armon Watts
94 Jaleel Johnson
51 Hercules Mata'afa
66 James Lynch
Linebackers (5)
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
50 Eric Wilson
45 Troy Dye
47 Hardy Nickerson Jr.
Cornerbacks (6)
21 Mike Hughes
20 Jeff Gladney
24 Holton Hill
27 Cameron Dantzler
29 Kris Boyd
38 Harrison Hand
Safeties (2)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris
Special Teams (3 Players)
Kicker
5 Dan Bailey
Punter
2 Britton Colquitt
Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting
Here are the players that have been placed on the various reserve lists:
Reserve Lists
Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform
42 Ben Gedeon, LB
Reserve/Injured
79 Kenny Willekes, DE
Reserve/COVID-19
None!
Reserve/Non-Football Illness
59 Cameron Smith, LB
Reserve/Opt-Out
98 Michael Pierce, DT
Some roster thoughts:
Offense: 26 players
Defense: 24 players
Specialists: 3 players
Of the whopping 15-member draft class, nine made the roster.
Justin Jefferson
Jeff Gladney
Ezra Cleveland
Cameron Dantzler
D.J. Wonnum
James Lynch
Troy Dye
Harrison Hand
K.J. Osborn
None of the six players selected after the fifth round made the active roster. Seventh-round defensive end Kenny Willekes is on IR with a torn ACL. Most, if not all, of the other five will probably be signed to the practice squad.
Undrafted free agent Dan Chisena makes it 10 rookies on the Vikings initial 53-man roster.
The most curious decision was keeping only two safeties. As many as two safeties could be signed over the coming hours. There was some post-draft talk that cornerback Harrison Hand might be moved to safety. I didn't hear anything about him playing safety in training camp so switching positions now seems remote. Perhaps having a safety or two on the practice squad would provide some positional security. Whatever the Vikings do at the position in the coming hours, at least one safety is sure to be added. When that happens, which player will have a short stay on the initial 53-man roster? With seven players, it's easy to look to receiver. At a glance, Dan Chisena would appear to be the likely candidate. I would've thought so a week ago. I don't think that now. The Vikings clearly value his special teams skills. If he was on the roster for his receiving skills he wouldn't have spent a few days last week at safety. His roster spot feels safe for what he's expected to provide on special teams. That leaves Chad Beebe and Tajaé Sharpe as the receivers that could be released for a safety. I'm leaning Sharpe. With 11 players, defensive line might be a little heavy. A running back? Who knows? But at least one safety will surely be added and a corresponding number of players will have to be released. An NFL roster is always a fluid thing and the bottom of it is never safe.
The Vikings got to the initial 53-man roster yesterday by releasing the following players.
Jake Bargas, FB
Blake Brandel, T
Jake Browning, QB
Nevelle Clarke, CB
Aviante Collins, G
Quartney Davis, WR
Brandon Dillon, TE
Myles Dorn, S
Mark Fields II, CB
Nakia Griffin-Stewart, TE
Kyle Hinton, G
Alexander Hollins, WR
Brett Jones, C
Jake Lacina, C
Blake Lynch, LB
Nate Meadors, CB
Josh Metellus, S
Dillon Mitchell, WR
David Moa, DT
Steven Parker, S
David Reese II, LB
Nate Stanley, QB
Due to the potential for COVID-related issues the practice squad limit has been boosted to 16 players. Many of the players that the Vikings released yesterday will remain in Minnesota.
Linebacker Ben Gedeon was moved from the active PUP list to the reserve PUP list. As a result he will miss at least the first six regular season games.
Here's the resulting Minnesota Vikings' 53-man roster.
Offense (26 Players)
Quarterbacks (2)
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
Running Backs (4)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone
31 Ameer Abdullah
Fullbacks (1)
30 C.J. Ham
Receivers (7)
19 Adam Thielen
18 Justin Jefferson
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
11 Tajaé Sharpe
17 K.J. Osborn
85 Dan Chisena
Tight Ends (3)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin
Offensive Tackles (4)
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
69 Rashod Hill
74 Oli Udoh
Guards (4)
65 Pat Elflein
78 Dakota Dozier
72 Ezra Cleveland
73 Dru Samia
Centers (1)
56 Garrett Bradbury
Defense (24 Players)
Defensive Ends (6)
99 Danielle Hunter
91 Yannick Ngakoue
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
57 D.J. Wonnum
52 Eddie Yarbrough
90 Jalyn Holmes
Defensive Tackles (5)
93 Shamar Stephen
96 Armon Watts
94 Jaleel Johnson
51 Hercules Mata'afa
66 James Lynch
Linebackers (5)
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
50 Eric Wilson
45 Troy Dye
47 Hardy Nickerson Jr.
Cornerbacks (6)
21 Mike Hughes
20 Jeff Gladney
24 Holton Hill
27 Cameron Dantzler
29 Kris Boyd
38 Harrison Hand
Safeties (2)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris
Special Teams (3 Players)
Kicker
5 Dan Bailey
Punter
2 Britton Colquitt
Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting
Here are the players that have been placed on the various reserve lists:
Reserve Lists
Reserve/Physically Unable To Perform
42 Ben Gedeon, LB
Reserve/Injured
79 Kenny Willekes, DE
Reserve/COVID-19
None!
Reserve/Non-Football Illness
59 Cameron Smith, LB
Reserve/Opt-Out
98 Michael Pierce, DT
***
Some roster thoughts:
Offense: 26 players
Defense: 24 players
Specialists: 3 players
Of the whopping 15-member draft class, nine made the roster.
Justin Jefferson
Jeff Gladney
Ezra Cleveland
Cameron Dantzler
D.J. Wonnum
James Lynch
Troy Dye
Harrison Hand
K.J. Osborn
None of the six players selected after the fifth round made the active roster. Seventh-round defensive end Kenny Willekes is on IR with a torn ACL. Most, if not all, of the other five will probably be signed to the practice squad.
Undrafted free agent Dan Chisena makes it 10 rookies on the Vikings initial 53-man roster.
The most curious decision was keeping only two safeties. As many as two safeties could be signed over the coming hours. There was some post-draft talk that cornerback Harrison Hand might be moved to safety. I didn't hear anything about him playing safety in training camp so switching positions now seems remote. Perhaps having a safety or two on the practice squad would provide some positional security. Whatever the Vikings do at the position in the coming hours, at least one safety is sure to be added. When that happens, which player will have a short stay on the initial 53-man roster? With seven players, it's easy to look to receiver. At a glance, Dan Chisena would appear to be the likely candidate. I would've thought so a week ago. I don't think that now. The Vikings clearly value his special teams skills. If he was on the roster for his receiving skills he wouldn't have spent a few days last week at safety. His roster spot feels safe for what he's expected to provide on special teams. That leaves Chad Beebe and Tajaé Sharpe as the receivers that could be released for a safety. I'm leaning Sharpe. With 11 players, defensive line might be a little heavy. A running back? Who knows? But at least one safety will surely be added and a corresponding number of players will have to be released. An NFL roster is always a fluid thing and the bottom of it is never safe.
Saturday, September 5, 2020
Minnesota Vikings' Roster-Trimming
This is a brutal day for many of those with NFL dreams. This is the day that all 32 teams have to get their rosters down to 53 players. The hacked-up offseason and training camp due to a global pandemic made the task of making a roster even more difficult. There were no offseaon workouts. There was no gradual introduction to the NFL. League policies introduced to limit the number of people in team facilities called for a roster reduction from 90 to 80 players prior to the start of training camp. Before they even had a chance to show what they could do, 10 players from each team were released. About 2880 players were supposed to get their NFL shot. About 2560 actually did. Those that did make the 80-man rosters had a different sort of training camp. Fewer real football practices, no preseason games. The rookies, in particular, had limited opportunities to show what they can do. "It is what it is." That ridiculous cliche has rarely felt more appropriate. All 32 teams have until 4pm Eastern time to trim their rosters to 53 players.
The Minnesota Vikings started their roster-trimming early. On Wednesday, they released the following players.
RB Tony Brooks-James
LB Jordan Fehr
DE Stacy Keely
DE Anthony Zettel
Seventh-round rookie defensive end Kenny Willekes was placed on injured reserve. He suffered a knee injury during last Friday's practice at US Bank Stadium. The knee injury is reportedly a torn ACL. His rookie season now becomes one of rehabbing and learning.
With linebacker Ben Gedeon's uncertain status on the PUP list, Wednesday's moves have the Vikings' roster at 75 or 76 players. So, they have to trim 22 or 23 more players over the next few hours.
The good news for those on the wrong side of the roster-trimming is that size of the practice squad has been increased to 16 players. There's also room for as many as four veterans (4+ years). While it may be a brutal day, it isn't the end of these football dreams.
With linebacker Ben Gedeon's uncertain status on the PUP list, Wednesday's moves have the Vikings' roster at 75 or 76 players. So, they have to trim 22 or 23 more players over the next few hours.
The good news for those on the wrong side of the roster-trimming is that size of the practice squad has been increased to 16 players. There's also room for as many as four veterans (4+ years). While it may be a brutal day, it isn't the end of these football dreams.
Friday, September 4, 2020
Minnesota Vikings' Starters Prediction
The Minnesota Vikings have until tomorrow to trim the roster to 53. There will be some tough decisions. There aren't too many decisions in determining the 22 starters. Those offensive line questions appear to have been answered. At least to start the season. The starting receiver opposite Adam Thielen could be a juggling act. The cornerbacks could be a season-long rotation of as many as five players. Until we see a real game, this is how I see the Minnesota Vikings starters.
Offense
Offense
| WR | Adam Thielen |
| LT | Riley Reiff |
| LG | Dakota Dozier |
| C | Garrett Bradbury |
| RG | Pat Elflein |
| RT | Brian O'Neill |
| TE | Kyle Rudolph |
| WR | Justin Jefferson |
| QB | Kirk Cousins |
| RB | Dalvin Cook |
| FB | C.J. Ham |
The offensive line is the biggest question mark on offense. Again. I feel better about this group, the scheme that they are in, and the coaches that coach it than I have in a long time. The talent level is higher so their potential is greater. I wouldn't be surprised if Ezra Cleveland replaces Dakota Dozier at some point during the season.
Perhaps I'm getting ahead of things with rookie Justin Jefferson as one of the starting receivers. It isn't fair to Olabisi Johnson as he's been terrific in training camp. Johnson might've been a surprise last season. He's going to be a significant contributor moving forward. He's a very good football player. Jefferson could be a great one.
Perhaps I'm getting ahead of things with rookie Justin Jefferson as one of the starting receivers. It isn't fair to Olabisi Johnson as he's been terrific in training camp. Johnson might've been a surprise last season. He's going to be a significant contributor moving forward. He's a very good football player. Jefferson could be a great one.
Defense
| RE | Yannick Ngakoue |
| DT | Jaleel Johnson |
| NT | Shamar Stephen |
| LE | Danielle Hunter |
| LB | Anthony Barr |
| LB | Eric Kendricks |
| LB | Eric Wilson |
| CB | Mike Hughes |
| CB | Holton Hill |
| S | Harrison Smith |
| S | Anthony Harris |
What a difference one player can make. Despite cries from national talking heads of the demise of the Vikings defense, I expected this to remain a strong group. Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, and Anthony Harris are simply too good to allow the entire defense to fall apart. Plus, I think that the inexperienced cornerbacks will play beyond their years. Then, two weeks from the start of the season, the Vikings add Yannick Ngakoue. Now, it's as if there's a whole new defense in Minnesota. Even the national talking heads say so. So it's gotta be. I expect breakout seasons from Armon Watts, Eric Wilson, and any one, two, or three of the corners. Wilson is going to force Mike Zimmer to include him in some of the nickel defenses. I can't wait to see this defense in action.
Thursday, September 3, 2020
A Final Stab At The Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster
Saturday is roster-trimming day in the NFL. All teams have to trim their rosters from 80 players to 53. It's a tough day. The Vikings' decision-makes will be making the real roster decisions based on real football evidence and the potential that they see in the players. I'm taking one last stab at those decisions with very limited information and evidence.
Final 2020 Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection
Offense (25 Players)
Quarterbacks (2)
Kirk Cousins
Sean Mannion
I've never been a fan of keeping only two quarterbacks on the active roster. It doesn't take much for the third quarterback to be as critical to the team as the backup quarterback. Losing Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford before a season was a week old reinforced those feelings. It seems that the way of the present NFL is two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster and a developmental quarterback on the practice squad. Personally, I'm more fond of rookie Nate Stanley or Jake Browning than Sean Mannion but I'm not in the quarterback room. Rumor has it that Mannion is an excellent #2 in the quarterback room.
Running Backs (3)
Dalvin Cook
Alexander Mattison
Mike Boone
The biggest question concerning the Vikings' running backs is probably whether Ameer Abdullah is one of them.
Fullback (1)
C.J. Ham
Receivers (6)
Adam Thielen
Justin Jefferson
Olabisi Johnson
K.J. Osborn
Alexander Hollins
Tajaé Sharpe
The receivers have become the most challenging position group to project. There are three certainties. Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, and Olabisi Johnson. Punt returns and some flashes at receiver has moved K.J. Osborn to a near roster certainty. If feels like Alexander Hollins has played his way on to the roster. It shouldn't be a surprise if the Vikings carry only five receivers. If so, Thielen, Jefferson, Johnson, Osborn, and Hollins are the five. If the Vikings go with six receivers, the battle for the final spot is between Tajaé Sharpe and Chad Beebe. I'm going with Sharpe simply because of Beebe's occasionally unreliable hands. Nothing drives me more crazy than receivers with shaky hands. That's your job!
Tight Ends (3)
Kyle Rudolph
Irv Smith Jr.
Tyler Conklin
Other than the specialists, tight end is the easiest position group to project.
Offensive Line (10)
Riley Reiff
Dakota Dozier
Garrett Bradbury
Pat Elflein
Brian O'Neill
Ezra Cleveland
Rashod Hill
Oli Udoh
Brett Jones
Kyle Hinton
The Vikings dodged some very late offensive line juggling when Riley Reiff decided to accept a contract restructuring earlier this week. He was given an ultimatum of a pay cut or be released. Much to the relief of all involved, he accepted the option that keeps him as the Vikings' left tackle. The starters are now set with Reiff, Dakota Dozier, Garrett Bradbury, Pat Elflein, and Brian O'Neill. Ezra Cleveland, Rashod Hill, and Oli Udoh are easy projections as backups. Brett Jones should make the roster as the backup center. That likely leaves Aviante Collins, Dru Samia, and Kyle Hinton competing for the 10th offensive line spot. I was expecting/hoping that Samia would play his way into the starting lineup this training camp. It doesn't sound like he ever took a step in that direction. Of the three, and without a lot of evidence, I think that I like the long-term potential of Hinton the most.
Defense (25 Players)
Defensive Ends (5)
Danielle Hunter
Yannick Ngakoue
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Jalyn Holmes
D.J. Wonnum
This group changed significantly with last Sunday's huge trade for Yannick Ngakoue. The Vikings now have one of the best young defensive end duos in the league. Improving the starters improves the depth. Ifeadi Odenigbo moves from solid starter to excellent backup and chess piece. He can play all over the line. By all reports, Jalyn Holmes has looked rejuvenated and more comfortable with a move from defensive tackle to defensive end. Like Odenigbo, he can line up across the line. D.J. Wonnum is a raw, physically gifted rookie. He just needs a little time to adjust to the NFL. With Danielle Hunter out for nearly the entirety of training camp, Eddie Yarbrough took advantage of increased practice reps. From camp reports, it sounded like he might've been the best defensive end on the field. Despite not having him here, I wouldn't be surprised if he's still on the Vikings roster on Sunday. Improving the depth, in return, improves the starters as all of the players are kept fresh throughout the game. Adding Ngakoue greatly changes the look of the Vikings' defense. Hopefully, it doesn't take long for him to get comfortable and play naturally in a new defense.
Defensive Tackles (5)
Shamar Stephen
Armon Watts
Jaleel Johnson
Hercules Mata'afa
James Lynch
The defensive tackle group changed greatly when free agent nose tackle Michael Pierce decided to opt out this season for COVID health concerns. From the rave reviews he's received from the coaches, Shamar Stephen will take over the starting nose tackle job. He should be a better fit there than he was last year at three-technique. I'm a fan of Armon Watts and Jaleel Johnson as the interior pair. They'll certainly have some run together but for now it looks like Johnson will pair with Stephen as the starters. Hercules Mata'afa appears to have the edge over rookie James Lynch in providing three-technique depth. Mata'afa will probably be the first off the bench on obvious passing downs.
With the startling addition on Yannick Ngakoue, t's impossible not to think of what the defensive line might've looked like if a global pandemic hadn't taken Michael Pierce away for the year.
I like the line a lot. Maybe next year.
Linebackers (5)
Anthony Barr
Eric Kendricks
Eric Wilson
Troy Dye
Hardy Nickerson Jr.
Prior to training camp, it looked like the Vikings were well stocked at linebacker. The starters were strong with solid backups. The starters are still strong with Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, and Eric Wilson. Health issues have taken apart the backups. The strange thing about those health issues is that none were the result of a training camp injury. Ben Gedeon apparently hasn't been cleared for concussions that he suffered last season. That isn't good. Cameron Smith needed open-heart surgery for a condition that he's had his entire life. It was a positive COVID test result that led to the discovery of the condition. At least one good thing has come from this global pandemic. Unless Gedeon is cleared and makes the difficult decision to continue playing football, the expected linebacker depth is down to rookie Troy Dye. For that reason, I'm going with Hardy Nickerson Jr. over undrafted rookie Blake Lynch as the fifth linebacker. Nickerson has a few years of NFL experience. And he went to Cal.
Cornerbacks (6)
Mike Hughes
Jeff Gladney
Holton Hill
Cameron Dantzler
Kris Boyd
Harrison Hand
The cornerback competition has been fun. I might be putting a lot of faith in rookie corners Jeff Gladney, Cameron Dantzler, and Harrison Hand but I really like their potential. Some national talking heads see the Vikings cornerback position as a weakness. They honk about the team losing their top three corners from last season. They fail to also honk about the unfortunate fact that the Vikings corners didn't play all that great last season. I see this young, talented cornerback group as a potential strength. Holton Hill has probably been the most consistent and impressive corner through camp. He and Mike Hughes appear to be the starters with the base defense. Third-round pick Dantzler has gotten more camp buzz than first-round pick Gladney. It's in nickel where the corner fun really begins. With just over a week until the start of the season, my guess is that Hill and Gladney/Dantzler will be on the outside with Hughes in the slot. I think that Mike Zimmer and the defensive coaches are going to have some fun with their young, talented corners. I expect a lot of corner rotation, a lot of mixing and matching. I love this cornerback group.
Safeties (4)
Harrison Smith
Anthony Harris
Josh Metellus
Steven Parker
Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris are the best safety pair in the league. I see more of Josh Metellus in practice highlights than the other backups so I'm going with him as one of the backups. Steven Parker, Nate Meadors, and Myles Dorn are the likely contenders for the fourth spot. I'm going with the veteran Parker.
Special Teams (3 Players)
Kicker
Dan Bailey
Punter
Britton Colquitt
Long Snapper
Austin Cutting
Final 2020 Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection
Offense (25 Players)
Quarterbacks (2)
Kirk Cousins
Sean Mannion
I've never been a fan of keeping only two quarterbacks on the active roster. It doesn't take much for the third quarterback to be as critical to the team as the backup quarterback. Losing Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford before a season was a week old reinforced those feelings. It seems that the way of the present NFL is two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster and a developmental quarterback on the practice squad. Personally, I'm more fond of rookie Nate Stanley or Jake Browning than Sean Mannion but I'm not in the quarterback room. Rumor has it that Mannion is an excellent #2 in the quarterback room.
Running Backs (3)
Dalvin Cook
Alexander Mattison
Mike Boone
The biggest question concerning the Vikings' running backs is probably whether Ameer Abdullah is one of them.
Fullback (1)
C.J. Ham
Receivers (6)
Adam Thielen
Justin Jefferson
Olabisi Johnson
K.J. Osborn
Alexander Hollins
Tajaé Sharpe
The receivers have become the most challenging position group to project. There are three certainties. Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, and Olabisi Johnson. Punt returns and some flashes at receiver has moved K.J. Osborn to a near roster certainty. If feels like Alexander Hollins has played his way on to the roster. It shouldn't be a surprise if the Vikings carry only five receivers. If so, Thielen, Jefferson, Johnson, Osborn, and Hollins are the five. If the Vikings go with six receivers, the battle for the final spot is between Tajaé Sharpe and Chad Beebe. I'm going with Sharpe simply because of Beebe's occasionally unreliable hands. Nothing drives me more crazy than receivers with shaky hands. That's your job!
Tight Ends (3)
Kyle Rudolph
Irv Smith Jr.
Tyler Conklin
Other than the specialists, tight end is the easiest position group to project.
Offensive Line (10)
Riley Reiff
Dakota Dozier
Garrett Bradbury
Pat Elflein
Brian O'Neill
Ezra Cleveland
Rashod Hill
Oli Udoh
Brett Jones
Kyle Hinton
The Vikings dodged some very late offensive line juggling when Riley Reiff decided to accept a contract restructuring earlier this week. He was given an ultimatum of a pay cut or be released. Much to the relief of all involved, he accepted the option that keeps him as the Vikings' left tackle. The starters are now set with Reiff, Dakota Dozier, Garrett Bradbury, Pat Elflein, and Brian O'Neill. Ezra Cleveland, Rashod Hill, and Oli Udoh are easy projections as backups. Brett Jones should make the roster as the backup center. That likely leaves Aviante Collins, Dru Samia, and Kyle Hinton competing for the 10th offensive line spot. I was expecting/hoping that Samia would play his way into the starting lineup this training camp. It doesn't sound like he ever took a step in that direction. Of the three, and without a lot of evidence, I think that I like the long-term potential of Hinton the most.
Defense (25 Players)
Defensive Ends (5)
Danielle Hunter
Yannick Ngakoue
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Jalyn Holmes
D.J. Wonnum
This group changed significantly with last Sunday's huge trade for Yannick Ngakoue. The Vikings now have one of the best young defensive end duos in the league. Improving the starters improves the depth. Ifeadi Odenigbo moves from solid starter to excellent backup and chess piece. He can play all over the line. By all reports, Jalyn Holmes has looked rejuvenated and more comfortable with a move from defensive tackle to defensive end. Like Odenigbo, he can line up across the line. D.J. Wonnum is a raw, physically gifted rookie. He just needs a little time to adjust to the NFL. With Danielle Hunter out for nearly the entirety of training camp, Eddie Yarbrough took advantage of increased practice reps. From camp reports, it sounded like he might've been the best defensive end on the field. Despite not having him here, I wouldn't be surprised if he's still on the Vikings roster on Sunday. Improving the depth, in return, improves the starters as all of the players are kept fresh throughout the game. Adding Ngakoue greatly changes the look of the Vikings' defense. Hopefully, it doesn't take long for him to get comfortable and play naturally in a new defense.
Defensive Tackles (5)
Shamar Stephen
Armon Watts
Jaleel Johnson
Hercules Mata'afa
James Lynch
The defensive tackle group changed greatly when free agent nose tackle Michael Pierce decided to opt out this season for COVID health concerns. From the rave reviews he's received from the coaches, Shamar Stephen will take over the starting nose tackle job. He should be a better fit there than he was last year at three-technique. I'm a fan of Armon Watts and Jaleel Johnson as the interior pair. They'll certainly have some run together but for now it looks like Johnson will pair with Stephen as the starters. Hercules Mata'afa appears to have the edge over rookie James Lynch in providing three-technique depth. Mata'afa will probably be the first off the bench on obvious passing downs.
With the startling addition on Yannick Ngakoue, t's impossible not to think of what the defensive line might've looked like if a global pandemic hadn't taken Michael Pierce away for the year.
| RE | Yannick Ngakoue |
| DT | Jaleel Johnson |
| NT | Michael Pierce |
| LE | Danielle Hunter |
I like the line a lot. Maybe next year.
Linebackers (5)
Anthony Barr
Eric Kendricks
Eric Wilson
Troy Dye
Hardy Nickerson Jr.
Prior to training camp, it looked like the Vikings were well stocked at linebacker. The starters were strong with solid backups. The starters are still strong with Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, and Eric Wilson. Health issues have taken apart the backups. The strange thing about those health issues is that none were the result of a training camp injury. Ben Gedeon apparently hasn't been cleared for concussions that he suffered last season. That isn't good. Cameron Smith needed open-heart surgery for a condition that he's had his entire life. It was a positive COVID test result that led to the discovery of the condition. At least one good thing has come from this global pandemic. Unless Gedeon is cleared and makes the difficult decision to continue playing football, the expected linebacker depth is down to rookie Troy Dye. For that reason, I'm going with Hardy Nickerson Jr. over undrafted rookie Blake Lynch as the fifth linebacker. Nickerson has a few years of NFL experience. And he went to Cal.
Cornerbacks (6)
Mike Hughes
Jeff Gladney
Holton Hill
Cameron Dantzler
Kris Boyd
Harrison Hand
The cornerback competition has been fun. I might be putting a lot of faith in rookie corners Jeff Gladney, Cameron Dantzler, and Harrison Hand but I really like their potential. Some national talking heads see the Vikings cornerback position as a weakness. They honk about the team losing their top three corners from last season. They fail to also honk about the unfortunate fact that the Vikings corners didn't play all that great last season. I see this young, talented cornerback group as a potential strength. Holton Hill has probably been the most consistent and impressive corner through camp. He and Mike Hughes appear to be the starters with the base defense. Third-round pick Dantzler has gotten more camp buzz than first-round pick Gladney. It's in nickel where the corner fun really begins. With just over a week until the start of the season, my guess is that Hill and Gladney/Dantzler will be on the outside with Hughes in the slot. I think that Mike Zimmer and the defensive coaches are going to have some fun with their young, talented corners. I expect a lot of corner rotation, a lot of mixing and matching. I love this cornerback group.
Safeties (4)
Harrison Smith
Anthony Harris
Josh Metellus
Steven Parker
Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris are the best safety pair in the league. I see more of Josh Metellus in practice highlights than the other backups so I'm going with him as one of the backups. Steven Parker, Nate Meadors, and Myles Dorn are the likely contenders for the fourth spot. I'm going with the veteran Parker.
Special Teams (3 Players)
Kicker
Dan Bailey
Punter
Britton Colquitt
Long Snapper
Austin Cutting
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Minnesota Vikings 80-man Roster
With Saturday's roster-trimming fast approaching, the Minnesota Vikings have made a few late tweaks to the 80-man roster. One of which was much more than a tweak. On Sunday, the Vikings traded a 2021 second-round pick and a conditional 2022 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. That's the splashy sort of move that a team makes in March. Not at the end of August. The Vikings added one of the best young pass rushers in the league to pair with Danielle Hunter, one of the best young pass rushers in the league.
Yannick Ngakoue and Danielle Hunter. Beautiful.
The other roster tweaks were more of the late-August variety. The Vikings added some linebacker depth with the signing of David Reese II. To make roster room for Reese, seventh-round safety Brian Cole II.
In a curious move, undrafted rookie receiver Dan Chisena was moved to safety.
The addition of Ngakoue and the $12 million that came with him added some salary cap strain. To relieve some of that strain the Vikings' decision-makers gave left tackle Riley Reiff the unfortunate option of taking a pay cut or be released. Another significant roster tweak was avoided when he accepted the pay cut to stay in Minnesota for another season.
After the wheeling-and-dealing, the Vikings 80-man roster looks like this.
Minnesota Vikings 80-man Roster
Offense (39 Players)
Quarterbacks (4)
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
3 Jake Browning
7 Nate Stanley
Running Backs (5)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone
31 Ameer Abdullah
35 Tony Brooks-James
Fullbacks (2)
30 C.J. Ham
40 Jake Bargas
Receivers (9)
19 Adam Thielen
18 Justin Jefferson
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
11 Tajaé Sharpe
17 K.J. Osborn
15 Alexander Hollins
13 Dillon Mitchell
14 Quartney Davis
Tight Ends (5)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin
86 Brandon Dillon
89 Nakia Griffin-Stewart
Offensive Tackles (7)
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
72 Ezra Cleveland
69 Rashod Hill
76 Aviante Collins
74 Oli Udoh
64 Blake Brandel
Guards (4)
65 Pat Elflein
73 Dru Samia
78 Dakota Dozier
68 Kyle Hinton
Centers (3)
56 Garrett Bradbury
61 Brett Jones
63 Jake Lacina
Defense (38 Players)
Defensive Ends (9)
99 Danielle Hunter
Yannick Ngakoue
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
57 D.J. Wonnum
79 Kenny Willekes
92 Anthony Zettel
90 Stacy Keely
52 Eddie Yarbrough
91 Jalyn Holmes
Defensive Tackles (6)
93 Shamar Stephen
96 Armon Watts
94 Jaleel Johnson
51 Hercules Mata'afa
66 James Lynch
60 David Moa
Linebackers (8)
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
50 Eric Wilson
45 Troy Dye
48 Blake Lynch
49 Jordan Fehr
47 Hardy Nickerson Jr.
David Reese II
Cornerbacks (9)
21 Mike Hughes
20 Jeff Gladney
24 Holton Hill
27 Cameron Dantzler
38 Harrison Hand
29 Kris Boyd
34 Nevelle Clarke
26 Nate Meadors
32 Mark Fields
Safeties (6)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris
44 Josh Metellus
46 Myles Dorn
37 Steven Parker
39 Dan Chisena
Special Teams (3 Players)
Kicker
5 Dan Bailey
Punter
2 Britton Colquitt
Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting
Reserve Lists
Active/Physically Unable To Perform
42 Ben Gedeon, LB
Reserve/COVID-19
No one!
Reserve/Non-Football Illness
59 Cameron Smith, LB
Reserve/Opt-Out
98 Michael Pierce, DT
Yannick Ngakoue and Danielle Hunter. Beautiful.
The other roster tweaks were more of the late-August variety. The Vikings added some linebacker depth with the signing of David Reese II. To make roster room for Reese, seventh-round safety Brian Cole II.
In a curious move, undrafted rookie receiver Dan Chisena was moved to safety.
The addition of Ngakoue and the $12 million that came with him added some salary cap strain. To relieve some of that strain the Vikings' decision-makers gave left tackle Riley Reiff the unfortunate option of taking a pay cut or be released. Another significant roster tweak was avoided when he accepted the pay cut to stay in Minnesota for another season.
After the wheeling-and-dealing, the Vikings 80-man roster looks like this.
Minnesota Vikings 80-man Roster
Offense (39 Players)
Quarterbacks (4)
8 Kirk Cousins
4 Sean Mannion
3 Jake Browning
7 Nate Stanley
Running Backs (5)
33 Dalvin Cook
25 Alexander Mattison
23 Mike Boone
31 Ameer Abdullah
35 Tony Brooks-James
Fullbacks (2)
30 C.J. Ham
40 Jake Bargas
Receivers (9)
19 Adam Thielen
18 Justin Jefferson
81 Olabisi Johnson
12 Chad Beebe
11 Tajaé Sharpe
17 K.J. Osborn
15 Alexander Hollins
13 Dillon Mitchell
14 Quartney Davis
Tight Ends (5)
82 Kyle Rudolph
84 Irv Smith Jr.
83 Tyler Conklin
86 Brandon Dillon
89 Nakia Griffin-Stewart
Offensive Tackles (7)
71 Riley Reiff
75 Brian O'Neill
72 Ezra Cleveland
69 Rashod Hill
76 Aviante Collins
74 Oli Udoh
64 Blake Brandel
Guards (4)
65 Pat Elflein
73 Dru Samia
78 Dakota Dozier
68 Kyle Hinton
Centers (3)
56 Garrett Bradbury
61 Brett Jones
63 Jake Lacina
Defense (38 Players)
Defensive Ends (9)
99 Danielle Hunter
Yannick Ngakoue
95 Ifeadi Odenigbo
57 D.J. Wonnum
79 Kenny Willekes
92 Anthony Zettel
90 Stacy Keely
52 Eddie Yarbrough
91 Jalyn Holmes
Defensive Tackles (6)
93 Shamar Stephen
96 Armon Watts
94 Jaleel Johnson
51 Hercules Mata'afa
66 James Lynch
60 David Moa
Linebackers (8)
55 Anthony Barr
54 Eric Kendricks
50 Eric Wilson
45 Troy Dye
48 Blake Lynch
49 Jordan Fehr
47 Hardy Nickerson Jr.
David Reese II
Cornerbacks (9)
21 Mike Hughes
20 Jeff Gladney
24 Holton Hill
27 Cameron Dantzler
38 Harrison Hand
29 Kris Boyd
34 Nevelle Clarke
26 Nate Meadors
32 Mark Fields
Safeties (6)
22 Harrison Smith
41 Anthony Harris
44 Josh Metellus
46 Myles Dorn
37 Steven Parker
39 Dan Chisena
Special Teams (3 Players)
Kicker
5 Dan Bailey
Punter
2 Britton Colquitt
Long Snapper
58 Austin Cutting
Reserve Lists
Active/Physically Unable To Perform
42 Ben Gedeon, LB
Reserve/COVID-19
No one!
Reserve/Non-Football Illness
59 Cameron Smith, LB
Reserve/Opt-Out
98 Michael Pierce, DT
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Vikings' Defensive Line
It isn't often that an NFL team can add a player the quality of Yannick Ngakoue two weeks before the start of the season. Such an addition is usually made at the start of the offseason. It's unfortunate that the Minnesota Vikings have a little over a week's worth of practices to integrate Ngakoue into the defensive line. It's fortunate that they now have Ngakoue to integrate into the defensive line. It's impossible not to think ahead to the defensive line that takes the field against the Green Bay Packers on September 13. The starters probably look like this.
| RE | Yannick Ngakoue |
| DT | Jaleel Johnson |
| NT | Shamar Stephen |
| LE | Danielle Hunter |
No offense to Shamar Stephen, the players and coaches love him on the field, but this is the defensive line that's filled my thoughts since Sunday's news that Yannick Ngakoue is coming to Minnesota.
| RE | Yannick Ngakoue |
| DT | Jaleel Johnson |
| NT | Armon Watts |
| LE | Danielle Hunter |
I really like Armon Watts.
No matter the defensive linemen that the Vikings have on the field, Ngakoue's addition changes the group significantly. The starters are improved. The depth is improved. Ifeadi Odenigbo was all set to start this season at right defensive end. He's steadily improved over the last couple years and made a significant impact in a rotational role last season. He earned the opportunity to replace Everson Griffen and start opposite Danielle Hunter this season. Ngakoue is one of the best young pass rushers in the league. He's a game-changer. He might not immediately be ready for a full-time role with his new team. If Odenigbo remains the starter and Ngakoue is first off the bench early in the season, the Vikings' defensive line is better for the improved talent available. Once Ngakoue is ready for the full-time role that's sure to come, he improves the starters and Odenigbo improves the depth. Hunter and Ngakoue will give the Vikings one of the best young defensive end duos in the league. With Odenigbo being able to make an impact all across the defensive front, the depth and line rotation is much better than it was this time last week. He isn't the only player rotating in and around the defensive line. With Shamar Stephen and Jaleel Johnson the projected starters at the tackle spots, Armon Watts will be first off the bench among the interior linemen. I expect him to be on the field a lot as I believe that Watts is going to be real tough to take off the field. It's expected that Hercules Mata'afa will have a prominent role as a situational interior pass rusher. Defensive end D.J. Wonnum and defensive tackle James Lynch, both fourth-round rookies, have had quiet training camps. I'm a little disappointed but not too surprised by that. Sometimes it takes a little while to adjust to the professional football life and catch up to the speed of the game. Also, this hacked up offseason and training camp hasn't been the best situation for rookies. Due to their fourth-round draft status, I can't imagine either not making the team. These line thoughts leave the Vikings with the following defensive line group.
Defensive Ends
Danielle Hunter
Yannick Ngakoue
Ifeadi Odenigbo
D.J. Wonnum
Defensive Tackles
Shamar Septhen
Jaleel Johnson
Armon Watts
Hercule Mata'afa
James Lynch
An NFL roster is a fluid thing but the Vikings often keep ten defensive linemen. If it's ten this season, Eddie Yarbrough and Jalyn Holmes are the leading contenders for the final roster spot in my projection. From training camp reports, both have outperformed the rookies but April's fourth-round commitment gives the rookies the edge. I currently like Holmes for the final spot simply because he has end/tackle versatility. This is one of the many unfortunate aspects of NFL roster-trimming. Yarbrough has a strong case that he's performed better at his position in training camp than Wonnum, Lynch, and Homes. Yet, he's on the outside of my defensive line projections. I'm glad that these decisions aren't mine in the real world.
No matter the defensive linemen that the Vikings have on the field, Ngakoue's addition changes the group significantly. The starters are improved. The depth is improved. Ifeadi Odenigbo was all set to start this season at right defensive end. He's steadily improved over the last couple years and made a significant impact in a rotational role last season. He earned the opportunity to replace Everson Griffen and start opposite Danielle Hunter this season. Ngakoue is one of the best young pass rushers in the league. He's a game-changer. He might not immediately be ready for a full-time role with his new team. If Odenigbo remains the starter and Ngakoue is first off the bench early in the season, the Vikings' defensive line is better for the improved talent available. Once Ngakoue is ready for the full-time role that's sure to come, he improves the starters and Odenigbo improves the depth. Hunter and Ngakoue will give the Vikings one of the best young defensive end duos in the league. With Odenigbo being able to make an impact all across the defensive front, the depth and line rotation is much better than it was this time last week. He isn't the only player rotating in and around the defensive line. With Shamar Stephen and Jaleel Johnson the projected starters at the tackle spots, Armon Watts will be first off the bench among the interior linemen. I expect him to be on the field a lot as I believe that Watts is going to be real tough to take off the field. It's expected that Hercules Mata'afa will have a prominent role as a situational interior pass rusher. Defensive end D.J. Wonnum and defensive tackle James Lynch, both fourth-round rookies, have had quiet training camps. I'm a little disappointed but not too surprised by that. Sometimes it takes a little while to adjust to the professional football life and catch up to the speed of the game. Also, this hacked up offseason and training camp hasn't been the best situation for rookies. Due to their fourth-round draft status, I can't imagine either not making the team. These line thoughts leave the Vikings with the following defensive line group.
Defensive Ends
Danielle Hunter
Yannick Ngakoue
Ifeadi Odenigbo
D.J. Wonnum
Defensive Tackles
Shamar Septhen
Jaleel Johnson
Armon Watts
Hercule Mata'afa
James Lynch
An NFL roster is a fluid thing but the Vikings often keep ten defensive linemen. If it's ten this season, Eddie Yarbrough and Jalyn Holmes are the leading contenders for the final roster spot in my projection. From training camp reports, both have outperformed the rookies but April's fourth-round commitment gives the rookies the edge. I currently like Holmes for the final spot simply because he has end/tackle versatility. This is one of the many unfortunate aspects of NFL roster-trimming. Yarbrough has a strong case that he's performed better at his position in training camp than Wonnum, Lynch, and Homes. Yet, he's on the outside of my defensive line projections. I'm glad that these decisions aren't mine in the real world.
The addition of Yannick Ngakoue to the Vikings' defensive line is huge. It's so much more than the addition of a single football player. It changes the entire position group. The starters are improved. The depth is improved. It's as if every other player on the defense is improved simply because of the addition of this one player. Ngakoue will help also help the entire defense. The linebackers are hassled less because the opposing offense will have to devote more blocking resources to both defensive end positions. The secondary won't have to cover receivers as long because the defensive line should get to the quarterback sooner. There were a lot of questions with this year's Vikings' defense because they lost several long-time starters this offseaon. There are fewer questions with the Vikings' defense now that Yannick Ngakoue has joined it.
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