Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Sammis Reyes (19) looks at his gear after walking the field after the third and final day of a mandatory minicamp Monday, June 12, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. © Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK.
The Minnesota Vikings’ regular season kicks off in 11 weeks, taking on the New York Giants in New Jersey on September 8th.
The club recently wrapped up a change-filled offseason, with over 40 new players welcomed to the roster and the notable offloading of Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter via free agency.
And since the 2024 NFL Draft, the Vikings have added six new players. These are those men listed in alphabetical order.
Lynch missed all of 2023 due to a torn ACL he suffered during training camp. Last season was a contract year for Lynch, so the news was particularly brutal at the time. Now, however, Lynch is back and ready to compete this summer.
And don’t look now, but if Lynch can stay healthy — a big if, given his track record — he has a clear path to playing time. Defensive tackle is one of the softest spots on the Vikings roster, with men like Jerry Tillery, Jonah Williams, and Jonathan Bullard on tap to duke it out for the job next to Harrison Phillips. Lynch can very reasonably eye a roster spot.
This man banked 4.5 sacks in 4 UFL games, so the Vikings are giving him an audition this summer. An undrafted free agent who signed with the Carolina Panthers last year, Redmond also conducted a fairly successful career at Oklahoma, a draft crush by many pundits.
There’s a chance he could sneak onto the 53-man roster.
This Chilean has a basketball background foremost, playing for Chile’s national team in the 2010s. He also played college basketball at Tulane and Loyola-New Orleans. Reyes switched to football in 2020 and began his NFL journey the following year with Commanders.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder has experienced NFL action in 11 games, all with the Commanders in 2021, starting one contest and playing 145 total special teams snaps, with 39 on offense. To date, Reyes has not been targeted with a single pass on offense. We shall see if that changes with the Vikings.
Perhaps no caption needed — Risner found his way back to Minnesota after roughly three months of free agency. Many thought he’d immediately regain his left guard job, but according to head coach Kevin O’Connell, Risner may have to earn the gig in a battle with Blake Brandel and Ed Ingram. The best two of three guards will start this September.
Risner is beloved by fans, though, and no matter what, he’ll probably end up seeing the regular season field at some point. Minnesota now has some interior offensive line depth because of Risner’s return.
Tonyan, 30, encountered a quiet season with the Chicago Bears in 2023, receiving just 17 targets in 17 games while banking 11 receptions for 112 yards. Before 2023, Tonyan spent five seasons in Green Bay, with 1,437 yards on 148 catches for 17 touchdowns in 68 games as a Packer. At times, he was one of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite targets.
Most believed Oliver and Mundt would hold down the fort until T.J. Hockenson’s return from a torn ACL, but Tonyan thickens the plot. The battle-tested veteran should make the 53-man roster.
Minnesota inked veteran punter Seth Vernon right after the 2024 NFL Draft, a challenger to incumbent specialist Ryan Wright. And according to dribblings from minicamp earlier this month, Vernon may actually push Wright to the limit or steal his job.
Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer said last week on Access Vikings, “Matt Daniels is talking about how there was a big sophomore slump for Ryan Wright. That’s why they bring in this new punter. And that new punter, he’s got a boot.”
The Vikings found Wright via undrafted free agency in 2022, and he’s served as the punter ever since. During his first season, Wright wowed fans with his massive leg and seemed on track to hold down punting duties in Minnesota for the long haul.
Krammer added about Vernon, “He has been nailing it. And Ryan Wright hasn’t looked good in some of the open practices. So punter news.”
This man could earn the primary punting job in 2024.
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, Basset Hounds, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.