Quick Takes On The Quick Cuts

According to John Holler of Viking Update, the Vikings have two roster exemptions that allowed them to only cut 13 players today, which gets them down to their 75 player limit by tomorrow’s deadline.  Holler says the exemptions came as a result of Jerome Felton’s suspension and Christian Ballard being placed on the “left team” list.  I’m confused as to why the Vikings don’t have an exemption for DeMarcus Love’s suspension, but that stuff will clear itself up soon.

So, the Vikings made 13 cuts today, and I have to admit I was surprised by a few of them.  Here is a look at the cuts along with some quick analysis.

QB James Vandenberg:  The undrafted rookie was clearly a step or five behind McLeod Bethel-Thompson and so there was little reason to have the undrafted Vandenberg take any snaps in the preseason finale.

RB Bradley Randle and RB Jerodis Williams:  This one stings.  I was really hoping the Vikings would finally have a firecracker scat back at their disposal, and was impressed with Randle’s special teams abilities.  I hope they can sneak him through to the practice squad.  Williams failed to really show up or climb the depth chart in any way.

WR Lamark Brown and WR Erik Highsmith and WR Chris Summers:  I have to think the Vikings are planning on keeping six wide outs this year.  Just a hunch.  Based on these two cuts I think the competition is truly between Joe Webb, Stephen Burton, and Rodney Smith.  Adam Thielen has survived the first round of cuts, however, and could be a dark horse to keep an eye on after an impressive training camp.

G Tyler Holmes and C Camden Wentz:  I’m not 100% sure that any of our offensive line deserves to make this team after three weeks of preseason, and these two were no exceptions.  Failed to shine in a sea of mediocrity (at best), so nothing is surprising here.

DE Lawrence Jackson and DE Marquis Jackson:  Lawrence Jackson is the surprise here, at least to me, as I thought he was a quality low-risk signing this offseason.  To see him cut in the first round is pretty shocking actually, but is again a vote of confidence in D’Aundre Reed who seems to be a coaches favorite that never dresses on game day.

LB Stanford Keglar:  I thought he was already cut a few weeks back.  Shows what I know… and why he’s being cut.

DB Roderick Williams and DB Greg McCoy:  Williams had a little bit of support from some of the fanbase, but there was no way he was making this roster, even if the first five corners on the depth chart got injured.  He and McCoy could both be interesting practice squad possibilities, though.

 

 

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