The Vikings Cut Down to 53 Prior to Season 90
by adelfish | 8 months ago | 0 Comments
The Vikings Cut Down to 53
Season 90 is upon us, and the return of Coach Adel to the Minnesota Vikings has begun. With the first road trip of the season to face the New York Giants right around the corner, the Vikings have announced final cuts and their first official depth chart of the season. Let's run through each position group.
* designates a rookie
Quarterbacks (2) - J.J. McCarthy*, Sam Darnold
No surprises here, there was a training camp battle between Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall for a potential third quarterback spot, but Nick Mullens was released, and Jaren Hall assigned to the practice squad. 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy won the starting job over veteran Sam Darnold.
Running Backs (4) - Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, C.J. Ham
Aaron Jones is the undisputed RB1 in this offense, being brought in on a 1 year deal after his release from Green Bay. Ty Chandler still has tons of intriguing upside as a RB2, while Kene Nwangwu is the starting KR and PR. C.J. Ham is one of the best fullbacks in Red Zone.
Wide Receivers (5) - Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Trent Sherfield, Brandon Powell, Jalen Nailor
Jefferson and Addison are one of the top receiver duos in the league, the real battle was for WR3. Sherfield edged out Powell throughout the preseason, with his athletic upside and reliability being the difference. Speedy Jalen Nailor remains as a valuable weapon the Vikings are aiming to develop.
Tight Ends (4) - T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Robert Tonyan, N'Keal Harry
The Vikings opted to keep four tight ends this year. Hockenson and Oliver are both signed long-term, but the addition of the veteran Tonyan in free agency, and Harry impressing after his move from receiver to tight end proved to be too valuable to release. Oliver is primarily a blocking tight end, so in two to three tight end sets, you could see Hockenson, Tonyan, and Harry all on the field.
Offensive Line (9) - Christian Darrisaw, Walter Rouse*, Dalton Risner, Blake Brandel, Garrett Bradbury, Dan Feeney, Ed Ingram, Brian O'Neill, David Quessenberry
The starting OL was determined as Darrisaw - Risner - Bradbury - Ingram - O'Neill. Darrisaw & O'Neill are two of the top tackles in the league, so there was no competition. Risner was signed in free agency, and won the starting left guard spot. Veteran backups in Blake Brandel and David Quessenberry provide some versatility in case of injury.
Defensive Ends (6) - Chandler Jones, Chris Wormley, Jonathan Bullard, Haason Reddick, Jerry Tillery, Levi Drake Rodriguez*
Huge makeover in the offseaosn with this group. The Vikings acquired star pass rusher Haason Reddick via trade, then signed Chandler Jones and Chris Wormley via free agency. Expect the majority of snaps to go to a rotation of Reddick, Jones, and Wormley.
Defensive Tackles (3) - Harrison Phillips, Javon Kinlaw, Linval Joseph
Harrison Phillips is one of the best run stuffing defensive tackles in football. The Vikings remade their depth behind him, adding Javon Kinlaw via trade, and signed Linval Joseph for his second stint with the group.
Outside Linebackers (5) - Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, Dallas Turner*, Edefuan Ulofoshio, Gabriel Murphy*
This was the biggest position overhaul of the summer, seeing five new players come in. Van Ginkel and Greenard were the big free agent signings of the offseason, and the Vikings drafted Dallas Turner in the 1st round. Expect a rotation of the top three, with the intriguing Ulofoshio and Murphy providing special teams snaps.
Inside Linebackers (4) - Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Brian Asamoah II, Kamu Grugier-Hill
Ivan Pace was a steal as an UDFA last season, one of the top defensive rookies of the year. Joining him is free agent signing Blake Cashman, a player who has really blossomed the last few seasons. Brian Asamoah returns to the team as a very athletic, hard-hitting linebacker, and Grugier-Hill provides a veteran presence as a backup and special teamer.
Cornerbacks (5) - Byron Murphy Jr, Mekhi Blackmon, Shaquill Griffin, Akayleb Evans, Duke Shelley
Veteran filled group, with Byron Murphy and Shaquill Griffin both with respectable careers in Red Zone, and youth mixed in with Mekhi Blackmon and Akayleb Evans. The Vikings use safeties in nickel and dime packages, so expect to see the majoirty of snaps go to Murphy, Blackmon, and Griffin.
Safeties (4) - Camryn Bynum, Bobby McCain, Josh Metellus, Lewis Cine
Camryn Bynum and Lewis Cine were named starters, while Josh Metellus will play all over the field. Metellus plays safety and corner, and will see plenty of snaps as the third safety on this team. Lewis Cine is looking for redemption after missing the majority of his first two seasons in the league.
Special Teams (2) - Will Reichard* (K), Ryan Wright (P)
Not much of a battle here. Highly touted rookie Will Reichard won the kicking job, and looks to replicate his Crimson Tide success in Minnesota. Ryan Wright is one of the top punters in the league, and returns for another season.
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Practice Squad Season 90
- James McCourt - K
- Jaren Hall - QB
- Theo Jackson - SS
- Jalen Redmond - LE
- Nick Muse - TE
- Jay Ward - FS
- Andre Carter II - OLB
- Dallas Gant - MLB
- DeWayne McBride - RB
- Jaquelin Roy - DT
- Trey Knox - TE
- Dwight McGothern - CB