53-Man Roster Prediction after Vikings Preseason Opener
The Minnesota Vikings preseason started on Saturday with a win against the Las Vegas Raiders. While wins don’t matter in preseason, it’s still always good to taste victory.
We got to see J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner make their debuts, and a couple of players helped their case with good performances. On the other hand, a couple of players may have played themselves out of a job. Trishton Jackson, Jalen Nailor, and Trent Sherfield Sr. all made their case for a receiver spot, and Levi Drake Rodriguez announced his arrival to the world.
Now, with one preseason game down, let’s take a shot at predicting what the final 53-man roster could look like.
Quarterbacks (3): Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy, Nick Mullens
On the team’s first unofficial depth chart, Darnold is listed as the starter, while McCarthy and Mullens are co-backups. Mullens didn’t play on Saturday, but he’s a respected veteran presence and will likely be on the roster.
Darnold only attempted eight passes and completed half of them for 59 yards. McCarthy attempted the most passes, completing 11-of-17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. It was an impressive debut for the rookie, and McCarthy will likely push Darnold all year long.
Jaren Hall is the other QB in the equation, and he struggled mightily against the Raiders. Hall completed just 7-of-16 passes for 63 yards. Barring injury, it seems unlikely Hall will make this roster.
Running Backs (4): Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, C.J. Ham (FB)
Aaron Jones will be the new bell cow in the Twin Cities. The veteran didn’t take any carries on Saturday, leaving plenty of opportunities for the other backs.
Ty Chandler took seven carries for 33 yards, Kene Nwangwu took five carries for 52 yards and a TD, Myles Gaskin had five carries for 22 yards, and DeWayne McBride had three carries for 17 yards. All the backs averaged at least 4.4 yards per carry, which is an impressive feat. However, Nwangwu’s performance was the most impressive.
Nwangwu has been a special-teamer for much of his career, but he showed an ability to contribute in multiple ways Saturday. Neither Gaskin nor McBride have done enough yet to force the team to keep a fourth RB. With CJ Ham on the roster, four RBs won’t be needed.
Wide Receivers (6): Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Brandon Powell, Trishton Jackson, Trent Sherfield Sr.
I listed Sherfield as a player who needed to have a big game against the Raiders. Sherfield answered, catching three passes for 46 yards and a TD. Nailor and Jackson also had big games, with Nailor catching three passes for 63 yards and Jackson leading the team with four catches for 100 yards and a TD.
Powell is a respected veteran who can help on special teams. Jefferson and Addison will hopefully be one of the league’s best WR duos this season. This is a solid group of receivers for 2024.
Tight Ends (4): T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse
T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver are one of the best TE duos in the league. Johnny Mundt is a favorite of Kevin O’Connell, and Nick Muse has been a star in camp.
With Hockenson currently on the PUP list, it’s likely the team will keep four TEs. Veteran Robert Tonyan was once thought to be a lock, but the veteran is listed way down on the depth chart. For now, Muse gets the final spot, but you can’t count out Tonyan’s pass-catching abilities. N’Keal Harry had a nice game on Saturday, but the former WR will have his work cut out for him if he wants to make this roster.
Offensive Line (9): Christian Darrisaw, Blake Brandel, Garrett Bradbury, Ed Ingram, Brian O’Neill, David Quessenberry, Dalton Risner, Dan Feeney, Michael Jurgens
The Vikings have two of the best tackles in the league; the only question is, can the interior be good enough? The team’s first depth chart surprisingly had Brandel as the starter, with Risner backing up Ingram. Regardless, Risner will make the team as a more-than-capable reserve guard.
Quessenberry should make the team as an experienced swing tackle, while Jurgens and Feeney provide more depth on the interior. Expect Walter Rouse to land on the practice squad as a rookie.
Defensive Linemen (5): Jonathan Bullard, Harrison Phillips, Jerry Tillery, Jaquelin Roy, Levi Drake Rodriguez
Jonathan Bullard, Harrison Phillips, and Jerry Tillery are locks, but the depth spots are up for grabs. 2024 seventh-round pick Levi Drake Rodriguez made his mark on Saturday, collecting two tackles, one sack, and one pass defense.
Jaquelin Roy was a fifth-round pick in 2023 who the team is really hoping takes a step forward. Roy only had one tackle against the Raiders, but for now, Roy has to be considered the favorite over James Lynch and Taki Taimani. This isn’t the deepest group by any means, so it would be nice if someone stepped up over the next couple of weeks.
Edge Rushers (5): Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Pat Jones II, Gabriel Murphy
Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Turner will make up a nice trio of edge rushers for the Vikings. Jones is a solid depth piece who has been around for a while and should get another shot.
The final spot will be tough. Veteran Jihad Ward impressed in the first preseason game, collecting four tackles and a QB hit. However, it’ll be tough for the veteran to beat out UDFA Gabriel Murphy, who has impressed this summer. 2023 UDFA Andre Carter II is also still around and vying for a spot. The Vikings stick with Murphy due to his potential.
Linebackers (4): Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Brian Asamoah II, Dallas Gant
Could this be the second year in a row that a UDFA inside linebacker makes the roster? After Saturday, Dallas Gant is making a strong case to land that final spot.
Asamoah impressed on Saturday as well, which was nice to see, as the former second-round pick has struggled to this point in his career. Veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill is the other serious competitor for a role, but the team could prefer to go with the upside of Gant in 2024. If the UDFA has another impressive game, we could be looking at Ivan Pace Jr. 2.0.
Cornerbacks (5): Byron Murphy Jr., Shaq Griffin, Akayleb Evans, Fabian Moreau, Dwight McGlothern
The trade of Andrew Booth Jr. means there’s one more roster spot up for grabs. The final spot will likely be between Jaylin Williams, Duke Shelley, Nahshon Wright, and Deight McGlothern. McGlothern, another UDFA, has been a star in camp and collected a couple of tackles against the Raiders.
For now, McGlothern is the last corner in. Brian Flores loves to utilize safeties, so I have the team rolling with just five CBs and keeping an extra safety.
Safeties (5): Camryn Bynum, Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward
Camryn Bynum and Harrison Smith are one of the league’s best safety duos, and Josh Metellus is a versatile defensive back who excels in the slot.
Behind that trio, Theo Jackson and Jay Ward are solid special teamers who were also on the team last year. Jackson led the team in tackles against the Raiders, and Ward added three of his own. Bobby McCain is another DB vying for a spot, but the veteran has an uphill battle to beat out Jackson or Ward.
Specialists (3): Ryan Wright (P), Will Reichard (K), Andrew DePaola (LS)
Ryan Wright easily outperformed Seth Vernon on Saturday, averaging 12 more yards per punt. One of Reichard’s kicks was blocked, but the team has always been unlikely to give up on a kicker that a draft pick was spent on. DePaola will be the long snapper.
Not much controversy here. These three will be on the roster.
Editor’s Note: Information from ESPN helped with this article.