The Vikings’ Depth Chart Going into their Week 8 Game Against the Packers
Fresh off a victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Vikings and their fans are feeling good. Seldom has a 3-4 record caused so much optimism. Next up are the Green Bay Packers, a team sitting at an uninspiring 2-4.
The Vikings’ depth chart isn’t looking too different, but there are some things to make note of. First off, Luiji Vilain’s name is nowhere to be found. He was on the practice squad but got elevated last week to help take down the 49ers. Earlier in the week, though, the Panthers stole him away, so the depth pass rusher isn’t in Minnesota anymore.
Moreover, Andrew Booth Jr. appears to have continued his ascent up the depth chart. He’s now looking like the team’s CB3, a welcome development for the fans hoping for more from Minnesota’s 2022 draft class. Rookie corner Mekhi Blackmon slides down to the CB4 spot.
As for taking down the Packers, the names that stand out on the roster are Danielle Hunter and his pass-rushing pals. Sitting on a whopping 9 sacks after only 7 games, Hunter is a terror coming off the edge. The absence of David Bakhtiari in GB only makes things more challenging for Matt LaFleur & Co.
In time, Jordan Love may develop into the franchise quarterback the Packers were hoping to acquire when they sank an opening-round selection into him (with Aaron Rodgers on the roster). So far, though, the young fella has struggled. Love is completing just 57.5% of his passes. He has thrown for 1,263 yards, 10 TDs, and 7 INTs.
In back-to-back games, Brian Flores has found a way of getting his defense to pickup a trio of turnovers. He’ll need a similar effort today to help get Minnesota back to .500.
Meanwhile, the offense is likely to feature a hearty portion of Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. Sprinkle in some timely contributions from players like Josh Oliver, Brandon Powell, Cam Akers, and K.J. Osborn. The end result will hopefully be an offensive performance on par with the Monday Night Football effort (but with better success in the redzone).
Kickoff takes place today at 12 p.m. CDT. Pulling off the win at Lambeau would mean the Vikings are sitting at 2-0 in divisional play, with both victories occurring on the road.
The Vikings’ Depth Chart: Week 8
Offense
Quarterback
QB1: Kirk Cousins
QB2: Jaren Hall
Running Back
RB1: Alexander Mattison
RB2: Cam Akers
RB3: Ty Chandler
RB4: Kene Nwangwu
Fullback
FB1: C.J. Ham
Wide Receiver
WR1: Jordan Addison
WR2: K.J. Osborn
WR3: Brandon Powell
WR4: Trishton Jackson
WR5: N’Keal Harry
Tight End
TE1: T.J. Hockenson
TE2: Josh Oliver
TE3: Johnny Mundt
TE4: Nick Muse
Left Tackle
LT1: Christian Darrisaw
LT2: David Quessenberry
Left Guard
LG1: Ezra Cleveland
LG2: Dalton Risner
Center
C1: Garrett Bradbury
C2: Austin Schlottmann
Right Guard
RG1: Ed Ingram
RG2: Blake Brandel
Right Tackle
RT1: Brian O’Neill
RT2: Hakeem Adeniji
Defense
Outside Linebacker
OLB1: Danielle Hunter
OLB2: D.J. Wonnum
OLB3: Patrick Jones
OLB4: Andre Carter
Defensive Line
DT/DE1: Harrison Phillips
DT/DE2: Jonathan Bullard
DT/DE3: Dean Lowry
DT/DE4: Khyiris Tonga
DT/DE5: Jaquelin Roy
Inside Linebacker
LB1: Jordan Hicks
LB2: Ivan Pace
LB3: Brian Asamoah
LB4: Troy Dye
Cornerback
CB1: Byron Murphy
CB2: Akayleb Evans
CB3: Andrew Booth Jr.
CB4: Mekhi Blackmon
CB5: NaJee Thompson
Safety
S1: Harrison Smith
S2: Cam Bynum
S3: Josh Metellus
S4: Theo Jackson
S5: Jay Ward
S6: Lewis Cine
Special Teams
Kicker
K1: Greg Joseph
Punter
P1: Ryan Wright
Long Snapper
LS1: Andrew DaPaola
Kick Returner
KR1: Kene Nwangwu
KR2: Ty Chandler
Punt Returner
PR1: Brandon Powell
PR2: K.J. Osborn
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.