Vikings’ Preseason Finale Produced 3 Losers
The Minnesota Vikings lost their second consecutive preseason showing. This time, the Tennessee Titans came out victorious. In the final preseason game, more than ever, the participating players fight for their football careers. Some of the Vikings, unfortunately, didn’t have their best days.
Vikings’ Preseason Finale Produced 3 Losers
The following Vikings can’t be too happy with their performances.
1. Oscar Chapman
Punter Oscar Chapman was closing in on incumbent punter Ryan Wright, splitting punter reps recently, while also getting his shot in the kicking unit as Will Reichard’s holder. That latter element might have cost him the job, while the punting part was actually intriguing.
The Aussie rookie out of Auburn bumbled a hold as he dropped the ball. Reichard proceeded to miss the kick. With Wright, those problems usually don’t exist, and the coaching staff generally prefers consistency.
This one mistake shows how small the margins are in the NFL between making the 53-man roster and potentially being out of a job in a few days. Chapman’s advantage is that he could stick around due to the International Pathway Program without costing a roster spot.
2. Brett Rypien
Entering the summer, Brett Rypien was the QB3 for the Minnesota Vikings, but the preseason clearly showed that Max Brosmer, the undrafted rookie passer, is a superior player. The offense stalled with Rypien under center; he doesn’t match Brosmer’s arm talent and mobility. For the first time, the two signal-callers split reps, meaning they played with the same supporting casts, and Brosmer was better.
Rypien has drawn a ton of praise for his understanding of the offense, but there’s no real reason to keep him on the 53-man roster if the goal is to win a football game.
Backup quarterback Sam Howell deserves a mention here, too. He didn’t play on Friday, and Carson Wentz was brought in for a workout on Saturday. Both veterans could be in trouble.
3. Zemaiah Vaughn
The cornerback depth chart is apparently split into two groups. First, there are the top three of Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Jeff Okudah. Second, there is everyone else. The second group of Zemaiah Vaughn, Dwight McGlothern, and Mekhi Blackmon is also evident.
Neither of that trio, however, had a good game on Friday, and showed that he should be the next man up if needed. Vaughn, in particular, was on the wrong end of a terrible coverage rep in which he stumbled to the ground while Van Jefferson turned upfield and scored a 65-yard touchdown.
It might be a little unfair to focus on one play, but just like the Chapman play, those kinds of mistakes cannot happen in the regular season, and when they do take place in the preseason, coaches won’t trust the player to properly execute when the bullets start flying. Completions happen all day, but getting beat deep is inexcusable for a corner, especially in a Brian Flores defense that puts defensive backs on islands without a safety over the top.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.