Vikings Roster Prediction: Going 47/53 and Being a Bit Disappointed
To my mind, the Mendoza line — a .200 batting average in baseball — can apply to roster predictions. Anything above 40 has cleared the ignoble distinction.
So, hitting 47 puts me comfortably above the threshold. See the full depth chart on the team website.
Nevertheless, the Vikings roster prediction was just average. Pushing things into the 50s is when one is really elite with a prediction, so the version I published for PurplePTSD falls short of that lofty ideal. Consider this piece an attempt at some writer accountability as the NFL is in the calm before the regular season storm. The names included below in green are the ones I foresaw making the final team.
Vikings Roster Prediction: 47/53
Offense
Quarterback:
- QB1: Sam Darnold
- QB2: Nick Mullens
- QB3: Jaren Hall
Commentary: Nothing to see here…uh…wait a minute. At first, everything was looking good, and I still count Jaren Hall as making the team. The change now, though, is that Mr. Hall has been cut and Brett Rypien has been added to take over as the QB3. Truth be told, I think the Vikings made a mistake.
Running Back:
- RB1: Aaron Jones
- RB2: Ty Chandler
- RB3: Kene Nwangwu
Commentary: Didn’t foresee just keeping a pair of runners. Nwangwu, a Spielman pick, moves onto greener pastures where he’ll hopefully have a chance to be a monster on special teams.
Fullback:
- FB1: C.J. Ham
Commentary: A stud, Ham is on the roster and will be leaned on for his brains, work ethic, and leadership. His soft hands will catch the occasional pass and he may get a goal line carry or two. Oh, and he’ll be entrusted with walloping defenders when Minnesota needs a fullback to clear a running lane or provide a bit more pass pro.
Wide Receiver:
- WR1: Justin Jefferson
- WR2: Jordan Addison
- WR3: Brandon Powell
- WR4: Jalen Nailor
- WR5: Trishton Jackson
- WR6: Trent Sherfield
Commentary: The deep and diverse receiver room is being leaned on to create all kinds of problems on Sunday. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are close to impossible to guard; legitimately, they may be the best tandem in the NFL. The emergence of Nailor and Jackson is a great thing for the passing attack. Sherfield’s ability as a run blocker may get him on the field with some regularity, especially late in games if Minnesota is looking for clock-killing drives.
Tight End:
- TE1: Josh Oliver
- TE2: Johnny Mundt
- TE3: Robert Tonyan
Commentary: Would you believe me if I told you that Nick Muse was originally in instead of Robert Tonyan? At the last second, I made the swap mostly due to Wes Phillips’ previous praise for the new tight end replacing a lot of Hockenson’s production.
Offensive Tackle:
- OT1: Christian Darrisaw
- OT2: Brian O’Neill
- OT3: David Quessenberry
- OT4: Walter Rouse
Commentary: An excellent top pair are sitting ahead of promising depth. Quessenberry has overcome a lot in his life and Rouse has a lot of potential. This is a roster strength.
Offensive Guard:
- OG1: Dalton Risner (IR)
- OG2: Ed Ingram
- OG3: Blake Brandel
- OG4: Dan Feeney
Commentary: The caveat here is that Dalton Risner got tossed onto the IR, missing the first four games of the season. Michael Jurgens is now on the team but we’ll see if that persists when the team heads to London in Week 5. It’s a miss on my end, but the IR placement wasn’t as easy to foresee.
Center:
- C1: Garrett Bradbury
Commentary: Smart and athletic, Bradbury still leaves a bit to be desired given that he was picked so high. To his credit, there has been improvement, but another step would be welcome far and wide in The Gopher State.
Defense
Edge Rusher:
- EDGE1: Jonathan Greenard
- EDGE2: Andrew Van Ginkel
- EDGE3: Dallas Turner
- EDGE4: Jihad Ward
- EDGE5: Andre Carter
Commentary: I had Carter in instead of Patrick Jones, someone who struggled last season. Clearly, the Vikings feel like the 4th-year player gives them a better shot. Hopefully, he has a bounceback season.
Defensive Line:
- DT/DE1: Harrison Phillips
- DT/DE2: Jaquelin Roy
- DT/DE3: Jerry Tillery
- DT/DE4: Jonathan Bullard
- DT/DE5: Levi Drake Rodriguez
- DT/DE6: Taki Taimani
Commentary: The number of linemen ended up being correct. What was incorrect was the love for Jaquelin Roy. Now that has been a whiff for me. I’ve been hyping Mr. Roy during the offseason and he didn’t even make the team. A major miss on my end.
Linebacker:
- LB1: Ivan Pace Jr.
- LB2: Blake Cashman
- LB3: Brian Asamoah
Commentary: The surprise, for me, is Kamu Grugier-Hill. He’s on the team as one of the backup linebackers and will be key to their special teams.
Corner:
- CB1: Byron Murphy Jr.
- CB2: Shaq Griffin
- CB3: Stephon Gilmore
- CB4: Akayleb Evans
- CB5: Dwight McGlothern
Commentary: I thought that Fabian Moreau would get moved out, but he’s instead one of a half dozen corners on the roster.
Safety:
- S1: Harrison Smith
- S2: Josh Metellus
- S3: Camryn Bynum
- S4: Theo Jackson
- S5: Jay Ward
- S6: Lewis Cine
Commentary: At the end of the day, the 1st is a sunk cost. Nothing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can do now will undo the No. 32 selection going toward Lewis Cine. Cutting him was probably the right call.
Kicker:
- K1: Will Reichard
Punter:
- P1: Ryan Wright
Long Snapper:
- LS1: Andrew DePaola
Commentary: Nothing to see here, folks. Minnesota removed all suspense by moving on from Seth Vernon following the Browns game. Earlier, John Parker Romo had been cut, too. The Vikings have their three specialists, the players whom I originally projected to make the final roster.
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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.