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| On 11 years ago

Big C’s 53 Man Roster Prediction

By Carl Knowles

Some of the noteable guys from last years squad that didn’t make my cut are: Brandon Burton, Larry Dean, Tyrone Mckenzie, Matt Asiata, Joe Berger, and Stephen Burton.

MBT and M Sherels won a spot on my list after a solid game Thursday night against the Titans.

Greg Childs is on the PUP list until week 6, after that he will either go on IR for the rest of the season or he could take a roster spot from Joe Webb or MBT.

Special Teams (3)

Jeff Locke, Blair Walsh, Cullen Loeffler

QB (3)

Christain Ponder, Matt Cassel, McCleod Bethel-Thompson

FB and RB (4)

Jerome Felton, Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart, Joe Banyard (keeping the seat warm for Felton the first 3 weeks will be Zach Line. The Vikings have 3 weeks to choose between Line or Banyard)

WR (5)

Greg Jennings, Jerome Simpson, Jarius Wright, Corrdarrelle Patterson, and Joe Webb

OL  and TE (11)

Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson, Rhett Ellison, Matt Kalil, Charlie Johnson, John Sullivan, Brandon Fusco, Phil Loadholt, Jeff Baca, Demarcus Love, and Seth Olsen (keeping the seat warm for D Love while he is suspended will be Kevin Murphy or Brandon Keith, too close for me to call) Jeff Baca or Seth Osen will play backup center. Bad snaps by Joe Berger in preseason cost him his job.

DE and DL (9)

Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Sharrif Floyd, Brian Robinson, Everson Griffen, Letroy Guion, Fred Evan, Christain Ballard, and D’Aundre Reed. (Keeping in the seat warm until Ballard returns is Everett Dawkins or Chase Baker, too close for me to call)

Linbackers (7)

Chad Greenway, Erin Henderson, Desmond Bishop, Marvin Mitchell, Audie Cole, Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti.

DB’s (11)

Chris Cook, Josh Robinson, Xavier Rhodes, Harrison Smith, Jamarca Sanford, Andrew Sendejo, AJ Jefferson, Bobby Felder, Marcus Sherels, Robert Blanton and Mistral Raymond.

Carl Knowles

Carl Knowles (Contributor) is a former member of the Professional Bowler Association and an avid lifelong Vikings fan. When he is not bowling you can find him on websites and forum pages sharing his creative insight and enthusiasm for the Minnesota Vikings any chance he gets. Carl was a Phoenix Institute of Technology and Purdue University standout who currently enjoys the challenge of being a graphic director in the printing business. You can follow him on twitter @carlknowles_vt.

Tags: adrian peterson Christain Ponder christian ponder cordarrelle patterson jared allen Vikings

View Comments

  • Good job Carl. I see you were able to keep Sherels and Felder, others I've seen don't carry both. I'm still on the fence with Stephen Burton, glad I don't have to make these calls. Speilman must be pulling his hair out about now.

    • Keeping Sherels and Felder is a little out-of-the-box thinking, but this is a pass happy league and we play a lot of nickle and dime packages. Having a extra inside corner could be helpful... Josh Robinson will be picked on often.

      Felder is banged up, but nothing serious. It is just enough to make me think twice about cutting Sherels.

      Felder has a big upside and is worth keeping. He has the size and speed to be developed as an outside corner or even provide depth at safety down the road.

      I would keep Felder over B Burton or Andrew Sendejo.

  • I think Cassel may be traded. And maybe Simpson traded. Speilman kept talking about doing trades.

  • I am not ruling any trades out.
    Cassel
    Sherels
    Webb
    S Burton
    Brandon Burton
    Toby Gerhart
    Christian Ballard
    Joe Berger

    Anything can happen in the next 24 hours... The Vikings would love to get a late round pick for a guy they were thinking about cutting.

  • Felder got hurt last night and it will likely cost him his roster spot. I'm expecting him to be cut and brought back to the P-squad when he's healthy. I highly doubt Simpson or Cassel are going anywhere via trades. If Spielman was somehow able to unload either of their contracts for a draft pick he should instantly get GM of the year. I'm not really sure why so many people feel that Childs being put on the PUP list somehow means they will only carry 5 WR's. Burton and Webb aren't vested veterans and won't be due their entire salary should they get cut 6 weeks from now. I think putting Childs on the PUP list now was more to protect against Jennings and/or Simpson getting hurt in the first few games. If everyone is healthy I bet they will just slide him from the PUP list to IR and let him continue to get stronger for next year. I'm of the opinion they should keep both Webb and Burton. I like both of them better than Simpson, but I don't think he's going anywhere.

    • Dan,
      I also like the idea of keeping 6 WRs. I thought about only keeping 4 safties instead of 5 to make room for him... But I just kept thinking about him stopping on that one route that cost Ponder an INT. S Burton was also to blame for a delay of game because he didn't know when to go in motion.

      I actually think Childs will come back week 6, and if the WRs and QB's are healthy and playing well... the Vikings might try to hide MBT on the practise squad at that point. That is the scenario I am hoping for.

      Healthy QBs and 6 WRs down the stretch... Yes, I can't wait to see Childs back!

  • Hey did anybody see the NDSU game? That is how football should be played. NDSU plays football the right way. NDSU beat Kansas State.

  • Carl, My 53 has 2 Qbs. Cassel is traded. same 4 RBS. 6 WR's same as yours add Smith( for now Simpson could be trade bait), I go with 3 te's and 9 oline add Berger, 8 D-line (Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Sharrif Floyd, Brian Robinson, Everson Griffen, Letroy Guion, Fred Evan, D’Aundre Reed), if Ballard comes back Reed is gone, 8 linebackers, Same linebackers add one either Dean or McKenzie, 10 dbs Felder on IR. And 3...special team players, Jeff Locke, Blair Walsh, Cullen Loeffler.

  • Just read that their is a good chance Antoine Winfield may not make the final 53 with the Seahags