Minnesota Vikings defensive players on the roster bubble ahead of training camp

02/07/2024

The Minnesota Vikings will report to training camp on July 21st, a day that is less than three weeks away. When they report, it will all be about who can make the roster.

Currently, the Vikings have 91 players on their 90-man roster with tight end Sammis Reyes being on the roster via the International Pathway Program.

The Vikings have 43 roster spots locked up give or take one or two. That leaves 48 players fighting to make the initial 53-man roster. Some of these might seem like locks, but some things that fall a certain way could change things for the Vikings 2024 roster. This especially holds true with the deeper positions.

These are the Vikings' defensive players on the roster bubble.

Minnesota Vikings defensive players on the roster bubble

Defensive line: Levi Drake Rodriguez, Jonah Williams, Taki Taimani, James Lynch, Tyler Manoa and Jalen Redmond

The defensive line is going to get a lot of attention for the Vikings this offseason. Outside of Harrison Phillips, it's a lot of question marks. Of this group, 1-2 likely make the squad with Rodriguez being likely. The organization likes him a lot.

Edge rusher: Pat Jones II, Andre Carter II, Jihad Ward, Gabriel Murphy, Owen Porter and Bo Richter

How the Vikings handle the edge rusher position will be fascinating. The top three edge rushers are set but it's a grab bag after that. Jones is a solid piece but the upside isn't there. Ward is a very similar type player. However, there is plenty with both Carter and Murphy. Will they choose upside or a steady hand?

Inside linebacker: Brian Asamoah II, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Dallas Gant, Abraham Beauplan and K.J. Cloyd

The only two players locked in are Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. However, the other two spots are up for grabs. Asamoah still has potential and Grugier-Hill is a capable special teams player. Could one of the be overtaken by the young linebackers behind them? The team seems to like Beauplan who was a 2023 UDFA.

Cornerback: Akayleb Evans, Shaquill Griffin, Andrew Booth Jr., Dwight McGlothern, Jaylin Williams, A.J. Green III

The cornerback position doesn't really have any guarantees. Booth is the most likely to lose a roster spot. It's a shame since he was a second round pick of the Vikings but things haven't worked out. If they struggle massively during training camp, one of Evans or Griffin could be on the way out.

Safety: Lewis Cine, Theo Jackson and NaJee Thompson

Safety is a very interesting position group. The top three are secure with Jay Ward likely to get a roster spot as a 2023 fourth round pick, but training camp could lead to a number of different scenarios. Thompson is a special teams ace so he likely stays but Cine and Jackson are left to fight for likely one roster spot. With a rough start to his career, Cine is likely to get the boot. However, his athleticism leaves him a player to never count out.

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