13 Vikings Whose Roster Spots Are on the Line
In nine days, the Minnesota Vikings will finalize a 53-man roster, trimming the depth chart by 41%.
A closer look at 13 Vikings players whose roster spots are far from safe as the preseason winds down and final cut decisions linger. Nine days before cuts.
For some men, the roster cut-off could truly go either way, an annual summer tradition for each NFL team.
This is the Vikings’ version in 2025. Players are noted alphabetically.
Final Countdown for 13 Vikings on the Bubble
It’s a coin flip for these 13 Vikings players.
1. Tyler Batty | OLB
Batty must defeat Bo Richter for the OLB5 post. The undrafted free agent is a huge human being and is also 26 years old — extremely old for a rookie. At that age, he should be more game-ready than most.
2. Ty Chandler | RB
Many fans expect Chandler to be waived in nine days, paving the way for Zavier Scott or a free-agent running back to be named later to take over the RB3 post. Dozens of RBs will become available after roster trimdowns.
3. Silas Bolden | WR
The Vikings need a punt returner, and that’s Bolden’s jam. But the team could also just promote Lucky Jackson to the punt returning job or hand it back to Jalen Nailor. Is Bolden’s special teams expertise enough for a roster spot?
4. Kahlef Hailassie | S
Hailassie intercepted two passes during the first preseason game after a positional switch from cornerback to safety. Minnesota doesn’t usually keep five safeties, but perhaps it will carve out a spot for Hailassie.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said after the first preseason game versus the Texans about Hailassie:
“Sometimes it goes the other way, right? Sometimes it’s how you use Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus, and sometimes it’s how you use those guys up front — edge guys that can kick inside or kick off the ball or drop in coverage. It really just jumped out to us with … whether it’s Josh working through what he’s working through with his foot, or whatever it was, it just seemed like some snaps were there.”
“And he’s got corner coverage skills and a physicality and ball skills that seem to fit with how we play football here. Not surprised that he was around the football and made some plays. We talk a lot about tips and overthrows with what our defense can do, and that showed up tonight. I was really proud of him.”
5. Joe Huber | iOL
Minnesota’s iOL depth is a little shaky, and that helps Huber’s cause for the 53-man roster. Still, he’s an undrafted free agent, and those players are generally long-shot bids for regular season roster spots as rookies.
6. Jeshaun Jones | WR
Without Jordan Addison for three weeks and Rondale Moore for the whole season, a player like Jones could emerge to steal the WR5 job out of the gate this season.
7. Bo Ricther | OLB
Richter will probably win the OLB5 job, but he must fend off the aforementioned Tyler Batty.
8. Zavier Scott | RB
Scott showed the world his toolkit during the two preseason games, and those talents might just be enough to nudge Ty Chandler from his RB3 job.
9. Taki Taimani | DT
As an exercise, do some Vikings 53-man roster math. It’s difficult to find a DT place for Taimani. He could be a practice squader.
10. Nick Vannett | TE
The Vikings signed Vannett a couple of weeks ago after 6th-Round TE Gavin Bartholomew hit injured reserve. Vannett has made a career from TE3 duty — 111 games.
11. Zemaiah Vaughn | CB
Vaughn played promisingly, at times, at training camp, but Minnesota has him utterly buried on the current CB depth chart. He’ll have to hope the club keeps six corners or that a man like Dwight McGlothern gets cut.
12. Elijah Williams | DT
This guy looked like a stud in the preseason. But there just aren’t many DT positions open on the purple depth chart. It’s the same problem besetting Taki Taimani.
HBCU Gameday‘s Cobi Simmons noted on Williams last week, “HBCU star Elijah Williams lined up in purple and gold on Saturday night, and the moment felt bigger than football. The former Morgan State standout—known for his relentless pass rush—was finally on an NFL field with the Minnesota Vikings. This was no ordinary preseason snap. It was his first chance to prove he belongs.”
“And he didn’t waste it. Williams finished with 1.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hit, flashing the same disruptive style that made him a star in the MEAC. Elijah Williams didn’t simply “look solid” in his debut—he looked like he belonged. Every snap showed urgency. Every rep was a fight to make the roster. His 1.5 TFLs may not have stolen headlines, yet they sent a clear message: this is not just another camp body.”
13. Ben Yurosek | TE
Yurosek produced a decent training camp, and his rookie competition, Gavin Bartholomew, is on the PUP list. However, he must keep veteran TEs Nick Vannett and Giovanni Ricci away from the TE3 spot.
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