The Vikings UDFA Pickup Who Appears Ready to Steal a 53-Man Roster Spot
Count me among those who are intrigued by Vikings UDFA Silas Bolden.
Judging a book by its cover could lead to immediately dismissing the rookie’s chance of getting onto the 53-man roster. After all, we’re talking about a receiver and returner who stands at just 5’8” and weighs just 160 pounds (the height is tied for second-smallest on the roster and the weight is the lightest). Nevertheless, Mr. Bolden has a good chance to get onto the final team due to his prowess as a returner.
Silas Bolden as the Vikings UDFA Pickup Who Can Crack the Roster
Expecting any undrafted rookie to carry a huge workload is a foolish expectation. Ivan Pace Jr. is the exception, not the rule.
Rather, the hope is for Silas Bolden to carve out a modest-yet-meaningful role. Does being the primary punt returner qualify? Consider what Minnesota sent over to get Bolden to the Twin Cities, courtesy of Alec Lewis: “Vikings are signing Texas WR Silas Bolden for $205,000 guaranteed, am told. Massive get, competitive market. Elite returner.”
Fulfilling the prophecy – being an “elite returner” in the NFL, as he was in college – will make the payment from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah more than worth it.
While playing for Texas in 2024, Bolden had 30 punt returns go for 315 yards and a touchdown. The 10.5 yards-per-return average is impressive. Consider, as a point of reference, that Brandon Powell averaged 7.1 yards per return last year. Yes, there’s an important caveat — one person played in college while the other was in the NFL — but the broader point remains that Bolden offers promise.
Consider, as well, that Silas Bolden has a history of doing some damage as a kickoff returner. Prior to his stint with Texas in 2024, Bolden did work for Oregon State from 2020-2023. The high point for kickoff return production arrived in 2022. He turned 22 returns into 599 yards, good for a 27.2-yard average.
Oh, and keep in mind, as well, that Bolden did some damage as a punt returner at Oregon State even though he didn’t get too many chances at that spot. In 2023, Bolden had 3 punt returns go for a total of 97 yards, working out to a 32.3-yard average. He scored a touchdown.
Coaches love to talk about the merits of complementary football, the kind of jargon that can sometimes get dismissed since it’s used and overused. The basic premise, though, is vitally important: no phase of football exists independent of the other. A strong offense directly feeds into being able to play strong defense. The inverse is true, just as getting strong special teams play makes life easier for both the offense and defense.
Silas Bolden can play his part by giving his team favorable field position with great regularity. Doing so would make him a wonderful UDFA pickup who is worthy of a roster spot.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.
