The 5 Strongest Spots on the Vikings’ Roster

Dustin Baker   |  

Jun 27, 2024

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The Minnesota Vikings kick off training camp in 24 days, with the NFL regular season exactly 10 weeks away.

The 5 Strongest Spots on the Vikings’ Roster

The team won just seven games last year, and sportsbooks also forecast that number for the Vikings in 2024.

And with operations about to heat up at training camp and in the preseason, these are Minnesota’s four strongest roster spots ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best spot on the depth chart).

5. Tight End

The Vikings will likely keep three men besides Hockenson, who will probably start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. No Hockenson out of the gate makes life for Minnesota a bit trickier, but that’s how it goes.

Tonyan recently joined the club, while Harry has evidently switched from a wide receiver to a tight end. Before both tidbits, tight end was just a run-of-the-mill roster spot for the 2024 Vikings. Now, however, it’s roster strength if one assumes Hockenson will be ready before too long.

With Hockenson presumably on the PUP, the trio could be Oliver, Mundt, and Tonyan in Week 1.

4. Wide Receiver

This bunch is top-heavy, led by Jefferson and Addison, who are Pro Bowl-caliber assets. After the twosome, Vikings fans cross fingers, hoping someone will emerge as WR3 and WR4.

Yet, any section of a roster with Jefferson and Addison at the top of the ticket cannot be excluded from a roster strength list.

3. Outside Linebacker

When Danielle Hunter didn’t re-sign in Minnesota, folks became apprehensive about the future at EDGE. Fast forward three months, and it’s one of the deepest spots on the roster.

Brian Flores’ defense will keep six outside linebackers at maximum and, more realistically, probably five. That puts Jones, Ward, and Carter II in an intriguing bubble situation. On the whole, though, Minnesota’s EDGE room is at its deepest in about eight or nine years, at least on paper.

2. Offensive Tackle

Always remember, especially when sizing up the quarterback situation: Minnesota has the hard part figured out on the offensive line. The line’s interior may be a work in progress, but solving the RT and LT is the challenging part for most general managers.

But not the Vikings.

Darrisaw + O’Neill is one of the most formidable duos in the league, and after those two players, the purple team won’t keep too many more OTs for the 53-man roster.

1. Safety

Last year, Minnesota kept six safeties on the final summer roster, a trend that will likely continue in 2024. The Vikings simply have too many good safeties, which works out well for Brian Flores and his emphasis on player versatility.

This group may only be deep for one more year, as Smith could retire anytime, and 2024 is the final year of Bynum’s deal. For now, though, this roster spot is fortified and the top spot on Minnesota’s 2024 roster.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.