Vikings Lock in Their Speedsters
The Minnesota Vikings’ regular season depth chart is out, and the special teams roles have been clarified.
The Vikings have locked in their specialists for the return game, finalizing kick and punt return duties and adding clarity to special teams.
The document solved a couple of lingering roster mysteries, including Carson Wentz formally listed as the QB2 behind J.J. McCarthy.
But the identities of the club’s return men are also now known.
The Vikings’ Depth Chart Reveals KR, PR Clarity
It’s a couple of new return specialists for Minnesota.
Vikings Announce Kick, Punt Returner: Myles Price
It’s here. Minnesota dropped its Week 1 depth chart, and undrafted free agent wide receiver Myles Price of Indiana has apparently won both returner jobs.
Price, along with Tai Felton, had trended toward the jobs for the last couple of weeks, mainly because of preseason clues. But because both are rookies and unproven assets, fans didn’t know for sure if Minnesota would pull the trigger on both for vital assignments in the regular season.
In the end, head coach Kevin O’Connell and special teams coordinator Matt Daniels apparently didn’t care about Price’s inexperience. It’s youth and speed at the return jobs for Minnesota.
Myles Price Shocks the World
Nobody really knew what a Myles Price was about three months ago.
Minnesota onboarded Price from undrafted free agency, and most of the time, those players are extreme long shots to make the active roster. Price is different. He began climbing the depth chart at training camp, and by the preseason, the Vikings began trusting him with return duties.
Price mostly returned punts at Indiana and Texas Tech, intermixing a few kick returns at Texas Tech way back in 2020. He’s believed to have 4.39 speed, though that attribute is not widely published.
Back in the spring, veteran speedster Rondale Moore was the odds-on favorite to win the punt returner job, but Moore blew out his knee in the first preseason game. That unfortunate occurrence paved the way for Price.
The Skinny on Tai Felton as KR2-KR3
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah somewhat surprisingly drafted Felton out of Maryland in Round 3 four months ago. Most onlookers didn’t expect a wide receiver in Round 3, instead predicting or recommending a cornerback, a spot on the depth chart that still causes heartburn with the regular season five days away.
Felton also wasn’t a clear choice for the kick returning job at the beginning of the summer because he only returned 6 kicks overall at Maryland. To an extent, it’s a new task for Felton, assuming he eventually earns the KR2 job. Some believed Ty Chandler, the KR2 on the depth chart, could be waived when fullback C.J. Ham returns from injured reserve.
Still, Felton has 4.37 speed and will be in the mix to return kicks if injuries beset Price or if Chandler is indeed cut.
Felton is also the WR5 on the current depth chart.
Adam Thielen … Coming in Hot as PR2
One comical factoid emerged from Minnesota’s depth chart: “newcomer” Adam Thielen is the Vikings’ backup punt returner in 2025.
Adofo-Mensah traded for Thielen last week to hold down WR2 duty with Jordan Addison suspended. Thielen is also the next man up at punt returner if Price goes down. Thielen began his career on special teams in 2013, so in a way, his career has come full circle in more ways than one in the last seven days.
More on Price, a Relative Unknown
Fansided‘s Donovan James noted on Price last week: “Price’s second preseason game was solid where had two catches for 11 yards against the Patriots. The best player of the night for Price game on special teams though, when he ran a kick return back for 81 yards to the 11-yard line.”
“His third and final preseason game, Price caught a 9 yard pass and gained 28 yards on a punt return at the Tennessee Titans. At Indiana, Price caught 38 passes for 466 yards and three touchdowns, ran seven times for 63 yards and a TD, and returned 23 punts for 289 yards with a long of 65 yards.”
Price was a deep-deep sleeper at training camp to make the 53-man roster, so he deserves his flowers from fans, rest assured.
James added, “Price played one season at Indiana but started his career at Texas Tech where he appeared in 42 games with 25 starts. He totaled 61 receptions for 1,751 yards and ten touchdowns, while also adding 207 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, and 350 return yards. The wide receiver and return specialist is listed at 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds and likely projects as a 2nd team receiver and special teamer in year one with Minnesota.”
“Price is one of seven undrafted free agents to make the Minnesota Viking 53-man roster, joining quarterback Max Brosmer, tight end Ben Yurosek, defensive lineman Elijah Williams, guard Joe Huber, outside linebacker Chaz Chambliss and inside linebacker Austin Keys.”
The Vikings’ special teams ranked 27th in the NFL last year per DVOA.
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