The 8 Big-Name Vikings on the Roster Bubble
The Minnesota Vikings must cut the current roster by about 42% by Tuesday, August 27th, at 3:00 p.m. CST. That’s the deadline for the final summer roster, with the regular season 12 days away after that.
The 8 Big-Name Vikings on the Roster Bubble
The Vikings can then obviously tweak the roster at any time, but the 53-man depth chart reveal will provide a good indicator of the team’s personnel plans for 2024.
And with the preseason officially over, these eight popular players are firmly on the roster bubble. They’re listed alphabetically.
1. Brian Asamoah (LB)
Minnesota will likely keep Ivan Pace Jr., Blake Cashman, Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Asamoah as the four linebackers. Otherwise, newcomer Jordan Kunaszyck could score the upset, and don’t rule out undrafted free agent Dallas Gant.
Asamoah has not caught on as a Viking, and as a 3rd-Rounder from the 2022 NFL Draft, he should be a bit further along. He did, though, notch a sweet sack — that should’ve been a safety — in the second preseason game.
2. Lewis Cine (S)
Cine activated the game of his NFL life last weekend — at the precise moment when fans had essentially given up on him. It’s unclear if he’ll make the 53-man roster — that feels like a coinflip — also known as the roster bubble.
He’s arguably the highest-profile name on the bubble.
3. Jaren Hall (QB)
Minnesota could, in theory, keep just two quarterbacks in 2024, sign a man from the post-cutdown free-agent wire, retain Matt Corral over Hall, or conduct a trade in the next few days.
Hall played lousy in Preseason Game No. 1 but redeemed himself the following weekend. He’s safer than most but is still on the roster bubble.
4. Patrick Jones II (OLB)
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did not personally draft Jones II, and if he likes a newcomer like Bo Richter, Jones II could be on the chopping block. Jones II does have veteran incumbency going for him, which is important, but his status heading into the roster deadline is unknown. It could go either way.
5. James Lynch (DT)
Lynch has been attached to the Vikings’ roster in various capacities — often injured — going on five seasons. When he’s healthy, he’s rather productive. But Minnesota has plenty of defensive tackles vying for roster spots, and it’s unclear if Lynch’s veteran resume will let him slip through to the 53-man roster.
6. Dalton Risner (OG)
Risner feels like he’s on the way out, mainly because Minnestoa signed guards Matthe Cindric and Chuck Filiaga this week. It hasn’t helped Risner’s roster case that he’s been injured for a few weeks.
He was beloved by Vikings fans last year, and it will be odd to see such an established pass-protector go, but Risner’s job does not feel secure with trimdowns just days away.
7. Duke Shelley (CB)
When Shelley rejoined the Vikings in July, he felt like wonderful veteran depth. However, Adofo-Mensah also added Stephon Gilmore and Fabian Moreau, men who, for all intents and purposes, probably seized Shelley’s regular season roster spot.
He could still hit the practice squad, though.
8. Robert Tonyan (TE)
Like Risner, Tonyan has been injured, dampening his chances of reaching the September roster. Vikings-themed voices don’t believe Tonyan will make the cut at all next week. For example, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said on SKOR North Tuesday, “Tonyan, he got a good chance here, but this, to me, signifies that his body might just be done.”
Wolfson added, “It’s a phenomenally tough sport, he’s a big guy, he’s obviously taken a pounding, I wonder if this is the end of the road here. I don’t see a path here.”
The theory from Wolfson doesn’t feel out of left field.
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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. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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