Vikings Ignored 2 Positions in Draft, UDFA
The Minnesota Vikings were busy Thursday through Saturday, adding 24 new players in the 2024 NFL Draft and undrafted free agency.
Vikings Ignored 2 Positions in Draft, UDFA
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy and outside linebacker Dallas Turner headlined the festivities, joining Minnesota after two trades in Round 1, but that was only the beginning. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed all facets of the roster, sans two.
These roster spots received no love.
Running Back
In a weird twist, the Vikings added zero running backs in the draft or after via UDFA. Based on the current roster, the development wasn’t too surprising — Minnesota employs five running backs at the moment.
These are the halfbacks:
RB1: Aaron Jones
RB2: Ty Chandler
RB3: Kene Nwangwu
RB4: DeWayne McBride
RB5: Myles Gaskin
That’s certainly enough bodies for the spring and summer, with the roster expanding to 90 players. However, Aaron Jones, the man at the top of the ticket, will turn 30 in December and is only scheduled to be in Minnesota for one season. Many believed Adofo-Mensah would draft a running back if only a mid- or late-rounder like Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen or Isaac Guerendo from Louisville.
He did not.
So, Minnesota will embark on the 2024 campaign with the Jones + Chandler duo, which should do the trick if no injuries arise. Yet, if injuries do emerge, the club will have to hope second-year runner DeWayne McBride plays better in 2024 than in 2023.
Safety
Arguably the deepest spot on Minnesota’s depth chart, the Vikings needed no new safeties, evidently. The franchise was deep at the position last year, too, and the group largely remained intact.
This is the safety room with May just a couple of days away:
S1: Harrison Smith
S2: Camryn Bynum
S3: Josh Metellus
S4: Lewis Cine
S5: Jay Ward
S6: Theo Jackson
All these men made the 53-man roster last year, and in all likelihood, that will occur again later this summer. Nevertheless, Minnesota has more noteworthy cornerbacks on the depth chart, so a surprise cut involving Cine or Jackson would take place.
Safety is a value-friendly position during the draft — like RB — so some believe Adofo-Mensah could add one more. No cigar.
The Vikings also didn’t add a punter, but that is not unusual.
One Vikings QB Is on Borrowed Time
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.