Vikings Sophomore Is a Long Shot to Make 53-Man Roster
The 2023 draft class has been a mixed bag for the Minnesota Vikings. It was the second class in Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure as the general manager. Jordan Addison had a wonderful rookie season, but a pair of car-related incidents raise some concerns. Undrafted linebacker Ivan Pace has been nothing short of spectacular, and while he technically wasn’t drafted, he still deserves a mention.
Vikings Sophomore Is a Long Shot to Make 53-Man Roster
In the third round, Adofo-Mensah acquired cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, who, after a promising debut season, will miss the 2024 campaign with a torn ACL. Former LSU defenders Jaquelin Roy and Jay Ward hope their roles can grow. Quarterback Jaren Hall is competing with Nick Mullens for the last QB spot on the roster.
The final player selected in the class was running back DeWayne McBride. Coming out of UAB, he had a fantastic opportunity to climb the depth chart after Dalvin Cook’s departure and a mysterious group behind starter Alexander Mattison. Later, when Cam Akers got hurt and Mattison continued to struggle, he had another chance.
But he failed and didn’t appear in an NFL game in his first year with the Vikings.
In the offseason, the Vikings swapped Mattison for the more dynamic Aaron Jones, who previously played for the Green Bay Packers. That move, the team hopes, can play a key role in improving the concerning rushing attack.
However, the team didn’t add another player. Neither in the draft nor in free agency did another runner join the crew. Once again, this is a prime opportunity for McBride to excel, but just like last year, it isn’t looking good. The Vikings released their first unofficial depth chart on Tuesday, and McBride can’t be happy with the status quo.
- Aaron Jones
- Ty Chandler
- Kene Nwangwu
- Myles Gaskin
- DeWayne McBride
These depth charts should always be treated with caution, as rookies are always buried until the very end of training camp. The bad news for McBride is, however, he isn’t a rookie anymore. The coaches know him, and he is familiar with the system, but he still can’t usurp Myles Gaskin, who has logged ten carries in the last two seasons combined and Nwangwu who has barely played a role on offense in three seasons.
On Thursday, the Vikings confirmed the depth chart on the practice field. Veteran Jones had the day off for rest purposes, which elevated Ty Chandler into the starting role. That in itself it no surprise, but two guys got first-team reps, too: Kene Nwangwu and Gaskin.
Will Ragatz (Si.com) reported from training camp: “Aaron Jones is getting a vet rest day today, so Ty Chandler’s been getting some good work with the 1s. Nwangwu and Gaskin mixing in too.”
There’s no way around it: the sophomore is RB5 in Minnesota. When cutdown day arrives, the Vikings will keep three or four halfbacks in addition to fullback C.J. Ham, and McBride doesn’t seem to be part of that group. It should be noted that a new runner could arrive if the decision-makers see an opportunity to upgrade the RB3 spot by replacing Nwangwu (on offense; he likely remains the kick returner) and veteran Gaskin.
McBride rushed for over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns in his final two seasons at UAB, but his game hasn’t translated to the NFL field. He needs a big second half in training camp and some dominant performances in the preseason. If he can’t do that, another season on the practice squad, or a departure, is likely.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB and Pro Football Reference 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