6 Takeaways from First Vikings Depth Chart
With four days to go until the first preseason contest takes place, the Minnesota Vikings have released their first depth chart of the season. While it shouldn’t lead to any overreactions, roughly five weeks before the season begins, some things can help us understand the current team better.
6 Takeaways from First Vikings Depth Chart
The Vikings currently employ 91 players. In exactly three weeks, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah must cut 38 to trim the roster to the limit of 53.
1. J.J. McCarthy Isn’t a Redshirt QB
It was a somewhat popular take in the offseason for rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to sit out the season with Sam Darnold starting and Nick Mullens as the team’s QB2. The Vikings list Darnold as the starter. Mullens and McCarthy share the QB2 duties, separated by the word “or.”
McCarthy has more time to distance himself from Mullens, who is primarily taking practice snaps with the third-team offense behind the rookie. If he wasn’t close to game-ready, the Vikings would call their pricey signal-caller QB3 at best.
2. No Dewayne McBride Takeover
Last year’s seventh-round selection, DeWayne McBride, is RB5 behind kick return specialist Kene Nwangwu, who hasn’t shown much on offense through three seasons, and practice squad player Myles Gaskin, who has barely seen the field in the last two seasons and doesn’t seem to have much gas left in the tank.
The theory that he just needed a year to acclimate is off. His game might simply not translate to the NFL after dominating Conference USA with UAB. A surprisingly good outing in the preseason might be his last chance.
3. WR3 Competition
Brandon Powell or Jalen Nailor will handle the job vacated by K.J. Osborn’s departure. The latter has been shining throughout camp, and if he can stay healthy, he is a good bet. Trent Sherfield, meanwhile, is one of three third-stringers. The Vikings could’ve added him as the third player in the second row with Powell and Nailor, but they didn’t. If he was in it, he dropped out of the race.
Interestingly, undrafted rookie Jeshaun Jones and veteran Trishton Jackson compete with Sherfield for the depth roster spots.
4. The Risner Conundrum
Dalton Risner was a starter in 2023, ahead of Blake Brandel. This time, however, Brandel is listed as the starter at left guard, and the team seems to be pretty confident with that decision. So confident that Risner is now the backup right guard after playing all five seasons on the left side.
That is bad news for Ed Ingram. Moving the top backup to his side could be a warning sent to the third-year player who hasn’t been as consistent as the team hoped from the 2022 second-rounder.
5. Rookie Pass Rushers Climb
Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard were signed in free agency to fill the void left by Danielle Hunter’s exit. The veterans are unsurprisingly listed as the two starters. The good news is that Dallas Turner is a backup and will likely play a rotational role immediately. He has already left experienced pass-rusher Jihad Ward behind him.
Gabriel Murphy cost much less draft capital. The undrafted rookie is a third-stringer ahead of sophomore Andre Carter. Fellow third-stringer Ward could be in trouble if the Vikings only keep five outside linebackers.
6. The 2022 Draft Class On Its Way Out
Andrew Booth is listed as a third-stringer behind starters Byron Murphy and Shaq Griffin, as well as Akayleb Evans. Most surprisingly, newcomer Fabian Moreau has also usurped him. There is a decent chance he won’t be on the team in three weeks.
The same can be said about safety Lewis Cine. Once a first-rounder, that draft pedigree doesn’t guarantee a roster spot anymore. He is behind the top four safeties, including Theo Jackson. Jay Ward has been used as a versatile player throughout camp. His ability to play various spots while also shining on special teams will give him the edge, too. Keeping six safeties is unusual.
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