Vikings Have a Sneaky Depth Competition
Because J.J. McCarthy is expected to be handed the starting gig at some point, the most entertaining position battles throughout Minnesota’s summer will be between guards Blake Brandel and Donovan Jackson, as well as between wideouts Jalen Nailor and Tai Felton. It remains to be seen how quickly the rookies can get acclimated to the NFL level.
Vikings Have a Sneaky Depth Competition
But there’s one spot that will be competitive, and that’s the RB3 job. The Vikings employ three candidates.
Running Back Room
Besides fullback C.J. Ham, the Vikings have five halfbacks under contract for probably three roster spots. The first two are obviously taken by the new-looking duo of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Jones was re-signed and got a sweet two-year deal, and Mason was a trade acquisition. A committee is expected between the quick Jones and the powerful Mason.
Behind those two, the Vikings still have Ty Chandler, a former draft pick, under contract. He’s the incumbent player. Zavier Scott spent all of last season on the practice squad, and Tre Stewart was signed as an undrafted rookie last month.
Ty Chandler
Chandler arrived in 2022 as part of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s horrendous first draft class. Ironically, he has been one of the bright spots; that’s how bad it was.
In his rookie season, a broken thumb cost him most of the season, but he was stuck behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison anyway. Because neither got hurt and Kene Nwangwu was also in the mix, Chandler rushed only six times. In his sophomore campaign, Chandler was elevated to RB2 once Cook was released. He was more dynamic than Mattison, but it took him until December to crack the lineup.
Last year, he was the backup for Jones, but in back-to-back seasons, the club acquired Cam Akers, suggesting that the coaching staff doesn’t really trust him. Whether it is his pass protection or his decision-making, his job isn’t secure whatsoever. His role on special teams gives him the edge.
Zavier Scott
Scott couldn’t unseat him last year, but he will have a full offseason this time. He went to UConn and Maine and was an undrafted rookie of the Colts in 2023, and he was a practice squad player for them in his debut season. Last year, the Colts released him on cutdown day, and he signed with Minnesota’s practice squad. He rushed 14 times for 74 yards and a touchdown last preseason.
The runner has experience as a kick returner, which could be crucial, and he played some wide receiver in college, which is another plus.
Tre Stewart
A more prolific candidate is Tre Stewart, simply because he put up gaudy numbers last year at Jacksonville State. In 2024 alone, he collected 1,638 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground and another 18 catches for 234 yards and one extra score.
Stewart lacks size and top speed, but that production, although against low-end competition, has to be worth something. He’ll be a fascinating player to watch in the preseason to see if his play translates to the pros.
Outside Options
If none of those guys is intriguing enough for the purple team, they could still find some outside help.
Those options include Cam Akers, who is actually allowed to sign with the Vikings in free agency. It’s not an NFL rule that they have to trade for him. He’s a dependable RB3 and has O’Connell’s trust. He’s a realistic candidate for the Vikings if he can’t find work elsewhere.
Jamaal Williams, Gus Edwards, Jeff Wilson, Nick Chubb, Ameer Abdullah, and JK Dobbins are, among others, also on the market.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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