4 Surprise Cut Candidates for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings ‒ and the other 31 organizations ‒ are asked to trim their roster from 90 (or 91 because of roster exemptions for international players) to 53 men. Many roster bubble players attempted to influence their fate in the preseason exhibition matches, trying to convince their clubs that they could contribute in the upcoming seasons.
4 Surprise Cut Candidates for Vikings
In Minnesota, some under-the-radar guys excelled, which increases the risk for some well-known players to end up on the chopping block. Here are four Vikings who might be axed.
1. Brian Asamoah
The 2022 third-round pick was a promising player early in his career, slowly carving into the playing time of Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks in his debut season. Ultimately, he logged 119 defensive snaps in 2022 while making some splashy plays.
Folks expected him to start in 2023, but Ivan Pace took that job from him. A nagging shoulder injury required surgery following that season. Blake Cashman replaces Hicks in the starting unit next to Pace, so the starting spots are set.
Kamu Grugier-Hill was added, and the Vikings seemingly prefer him over Asamoah, as he entered the lineup all summer when one of the starters missed practice. Asamoah is the fourth linebacker, and his preseason was shaky.
The Vikes could opt only to keep three linebackers or try to find someone else. Josh Metellus could also be used as an emergency linebacker, too. Undrafted rookie Dallas Gant had some solid performances as well.
2. Dalton Risner
Risner re-signed with the Vikings in May but failed to re-join the starting lineup. Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram are pretty much entrenched as the starting guards. In addition to that, Risner missed time in training camp with a back injury.
His contract is fascinating, as the Vikings would save $1.31 million by releasing the veteran. More than half of his salary is tied to him making the 53-man roster and gameday checks.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has previously teased keeping only eight offensive linemen, and center/guard Dan Feeney is a more versatile and cheaper option.
3. Akayleb Evans
Similarly to Asamoah, Evans is a once-promising player. He was last year’s cornerback next to Byron Murphy, starting 15 contests after an injury-riddled rookie season in 2022. Evans was an up-and-down defender throughout the season, mixing respectable performances with disastrous play.
Since last season, the club has acquired veterans Shaq Griffin, Fabian Moreau, and, most recently, Stephon Gilmore. Those three, plus undrafted rookie Dwight McGlothern, could steal his roster spot and make the 25-year-old expendable. Evans played a ton of snaps in the preseason, which is an alarm signal.
While there won’t be a huge market, one team might offer a late-round draft pick for a former starter who might possess some untapped potential.
4. Robert Tonyan
The buzz about the veteran tight end was electric throughout spring practices and early in training camp, but an injury slowed him down. Instead of fighting for the job as Minnesota’s primary target in the middle of the field ‒ at least until star tight end T.J. Hockenson returns from his injury ‒ he is now fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Blocking specialist Josh Oliver and Kevin O’Connell’s favorite player, Johnny Mundt, are surely on the team. If the decision-makers prefer the youth of Nick Muse, Tonyan is in trouble despite looking good earlier in the year. Missing the preseason and the majority of training camp could be a catastrophe for the 30-year-old.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over The Cap helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt