Henrique Gucciardi’s Final 53-Man Roster Prediction for the Vikings

I made my first roster prediction three months ago. It was a long summer, but we’ve made it. The Vikings will face the Bears in Chicago in less than three weeks. One of the biggest questions now is who will be there. The Vikings (and everybody else) still have one more preseason game to play, but teams must cut to 53 players by next Tuesday (8/26).
With roster cuts less than a week away, this is a great time to see who could make the Vikings’ roster next Tuesday.
When I did my first roster prediction, I had almost nothing to base myself on. With training camp almost done, joint practices with the Patriots, and two preseason games on the bag, we know more about the state of the roster. Although for some positions this is a good thing, for others it’s cause for concern. In fact, you may see some players who aren’t even on the roster right now.
Some players did wonders to improve their roster stock, while others tanked their chances. They will all have one more chance to prove they are worth a spot, but it’s hard to radically change things in the last game.
Quarterbacks (3)
IN: J.J. McCarthy; Sam Howell; Max Brosmer
OUT: Brett Rypien

Max Brosmer makes the team because I doubt he clears waivers. O’Connell has praised him constantly during training camp, and Brosmer could be the Vikings’ QB2 for a very long time. He still needs to improve before becoming the primary backup, but he played very well in the preseason and earned a roster spot. Howell did have a rough game against the Patriots, but he threw only five pass attempts, and one was dropped. If he has another bad game against the Titans, though, the team could look elsewhere for a backup.
Running Backs (4)
IN: Aaron Jones; Jordan Mason; C.J. Ham; Zavier Scott
OUT: Ty Chandler; Tre Stewart
The first three are clear locks. The RB3 spot is a fun debate. Tre Stewart had few opportunities in August and is probably a practice squad candidate. Chandler was the RB3 and played a key role in special teams last season. However, he lost the return job almost immediately in training camp and couldn’t do much with his opportunities in the preseason. On the other hand, Scott impressed nearly every time he touched the football. He became a fan favourite during the past few weeks, and unless he crumbles in the final game, Scott could beat Chandler for the RB3 job.
Wide Receiver (5)
IN: Justin Jefferson; Jalen Nailor; Tai Felton; Gabriel Davis*; Myles Price
OUT: Lucky Jackson; Silas Bolden; Dontae Fleming; Jeshaun Jones; Tim Jones; Robert Lewis; Thayer Thomas
SUSPENDED: Jordan Addison (three games)
This one was tricky. Jordan Addison is suspended for the first three games and won’t count towards the roster initially. While this is good because it allows me to carry another player, it makes the WR room bleak. Justin Jefferson is ramping up, and there’s nothing to believe he won’t be available Week 1. But with Addison’s suspension and Nailor suffering a hand injury, the depth is concerning. Lucky Jackson has been practicing with the starters, but after two bad games in the preseason, I decided to look elsewhere.
That’s where Gabe Davis comes in. He’s still young and was a good WR2 for the Bills in the past, even if his 2024 season wasn’t good. He could be the WR2 or WR3 until Addison returns, and then we’ll see what happens. Felton is a third-round rookie, so he was always a lock. Add to it that he’s the probable kickoff returner, and his value increases. O’Connell still hasn’t decided on a punt returner, but Myles Price had two very good returns against the Patriots, so he gets the nod for now.
Tight Ends (3)
IN: T.J. Hockenson; Josh Oliver; Ben Yurosek
OUT: Bryson Nesbit; Giovanni Ricci; Nick Vannett; Gavin Bartholomew

Bartholomew was the TE3 in May because, of the three rookies, he was the one drafted. But a back injury kept him out for the entire training camp, so he’ll either be placed on IR for the whole season, or cut and then brought back to the PS if he clears waivers. Nick Vannett signed recently, but he’s very experienced and has a shot. Ben Yurosek has been the TE3 all camp, and while he didn’t make any splash plays, he also didn’t have a bad play in the preseason.
Offensive Line (9)
IN: Christian Darrisaw; Donovan Jackson; Ryan Kelly; Will Fries; Brian O’Neill; Justin Skule; Blake Brandel; Walter Rouse; Michael Jurgens
OUT: Logan Brown; Vershon Lee; Henry Bird; Joe Huber; Leroy Watson IV; Michael Gonzalez
The only difference here is that Logan Brown lost his roster spot. I still think he can make the team, but another player impressed and got his spot. Joe Huber impressed a lot, especially against the Texans, although the team looks set in the offensive line. The lack of a true guard behind Jackson and Fries is in his favor, but Brandel has experience in the position. Even though both UDFAs could make the roster, I have both as practice squad candidates.
Defensive Line (7)
IN: Jonathan Allen; Harrison Phillips; Javon Hargrave; Jalen Redmond; Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins; Levi Drake Rodriguez; Elijah Williams
OUT: Taki Taimani; Jonathan Harris; Travis Bell
That roster spot I gave to Logan Brown in May? Elijah Williams took it from him. Not even signed as an undrafted free agent, Williams was a tryout during rookie minicamp and impressed enough to get a roster spot. And he continued to do so throughout training camp and the preseason. He’s in the same situation as Max Brosmer, as a rookie who won’t see the field in 2025 but is a good prospect to develop. Could he clear waivers and return to the practice squad? Maybe, however, I don’t fancy the odds. The rest of the room is the same; the bonus is that Ingram-Dawkins looked good in August and could see some snaps on defense.
EDGE (5)
IN: Jonathan Greenard; Andrew Van Ginkel; Dallas Turner; Gabriel Murphy; Bo Richter
OUT: Tyler Batty; Chaz Chambliss; Cam Gill

I was super low on Murphy and very intrigued by what Batty could provide. And I was so wrong about Murphy that it’s almost comical. He was a beast in the first preseason game, constantly pressuring the Texans’ quarterbacks. Batty’s size is great, but he couldn’t make the impact plays on the field. Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Turner will carry the load, but Murphy is likely ahead of Bo Richter on the rotation queue.
Linebackers (4)
IN: Blake Cashman; Ivan Pace; Eric Wilson; Kobe King
OUT: Austin Keys; Dorian Mausi; Max Tooley
Even if Brian Asamoah were on the roster, I wouldn’t change the four I had in May. The fact that he was cut last week only cements this. Cashman and Pace will play basically every snap possible, and Wilson provides better depth and special teams contribution. King, a sixth-round rookie, played well against the Texans and Patriots and should also be a key player in kickoffs and punts.
Cornerbacks (6)
IN: Byron Murphy; Isaiah Rodgers; Jeff Okudah; Mekhi Blackmon; Dwight McGlothern; Zemaiah Vaughn
OUT: Keenan Garber; Kahlef Hailassie; Reddy Stewart; Ambry Thomas; Tavierre Thomas
Another position group that remains largely unchanged, but with an impressive UDFA. Murphy and Rodgers are the primary starters, and at least for now, Okudah will play in nickel defense. Blackmon still has to go back to his pre-injury form, and shaky games in August don’t help his case. McGlothern made plays all camp long and could have a bigger role in his second year. Zemaiah Vaughn, a 2025 undrafted free agent, has also been making big plays in training camp. He has the size and athleticism; it’s a matter of how he develops now in the NFL.
Safeties (4)
IN: Harrison Smith; Josh Metellus; Theo Jackson; Jay Ward
OUT: Mishael Powell; Gervarrius Owens

For a team that used three safeties a lot under Brian Flores, keeping only four seems like a bad idea. But I think Flores used three safeties because he had to put Smith, Metellus, and Cam Bynum on the field. We’ll probably still see this type of defense, with Theo Jackson taking one of the spots, but maybe not as often as in the past. Jay Ward could be next in line for defensive snaps, but for now, he’ll keep being a presence in special teams.
Special Teams (3)
IN: Will Reichard (K); Oscar Chapman (P); Andrew DePaola (LS)
OUT: Ryan Wright (P)
Reichard and DePaola are as safe on the roster as Justin Jefferson and J.J. McCarthy. And I will stick with Oscar Champan over Ryan Wright for punter. The vibe last year was that Wright won the competition over Seth Vernon because he was a better holder, not necessarily for the punting part. Chapman was the holder on three of Reichard’s field goals against the Patriots, and the operation was smooth. Almost no one pays attention to punters in practice, so there aren’t many reports on that battle. From the games, though, Chapman’s punts have been further, harder to catch, and harder to return.
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