Vikings 53-man roster projection: What OTAs and minicamp told us about 2025 team

New York Times

18-06-2025

Welcome to the quietest time on the NFL calendar. Spring practice is complete, and many of the players have retreated to exotic locations before the ultimate ramp-up of training camp.
Because we've hit another checkpoint, we thought it'd be worthwhile to take another look at the Minnesota Vikings' 53-man roster. What stood out from organized team activities and minicamp? How do the observations shape what the team will look like come Week 1 in Chicago?
Included in this projection are a couple of predicted free-agent signees. Here's the position-by-position breakdown:
We've got big plans for the break 😎 pic.twitter.com/2fqqSelpfE
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 16, 2025
In: J.J. McCarthy, Sam Howell
Others: Brett Rypien, Max Brosmer
The backup quarterback situation is worth monitoring. Minnesota traded for Howell during the draft, and he has important attributes. He applies different trajectories to passes at all three levels. He is mobile. He threw for nearly 4,000 yards in 2023 with a mediocre surrounding cast.
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Could head coach Kevin O'Connell squeeze a Sam Darnold-lite season out of him if required? It's not outside the realm of possibility.
Darnold was a first-round pick for a reason, though. The overall quality of the 2025 roster and McCarthy's recent injury history put greater emphasis on this spot than usual. How Howell looks in training camp will be key.
In: Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Gus Edwards, C.J. Ham
Others: Ty Chandler, Tre Stewart, Zavier Scott
Do the Vikings need another running back? No. Minnesota paid Jones and Mason with the expectation that they'll platoon effectively. Behind those two, they still have Chandler in the final season of his rookie contract. Chandler showed flashes in 2023, but the Vikings have not felt comfortable giving him a bigger role.
Considering the injury histories of Jones and Mason, as well as the expected reliance on the run game this season, why not add an experienced free agent as insurance? Edwards isn't dynamic, but he is a hammer. Most of his advanced metrics (rushing yards over expected, average yards after contact per carry, etc.) could make him an interesting addition.
In: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Tai Felton, Tim Jones, Silas Bolden
Others: Rondale Moore, Lucky Jackson, Thayer Thomas, Jeshaun Jones, Dontae Fleming, Robert Lewis, Myles Price
Will Addison miss time due to a suspension? It'll be a critical factor in the early portion of Minnesota's schedule. The Vikings would then rely heavily on Nailor, who added strength this offseason and will be motivated as he enters a contract year. Felton's development warrants further attention during training camp, too.
But after those conversations are settled, the intrigue lies at the back of the room. Tim Jones, Bolden and Moore will be the primary competitors for roster spots. Jones impressed this spring, and Bolden's shiftiness is undeniable. Moore didn't partake fully in workouts as he's still recovering from the season-ending knee injury he suffered last August. His experience as a returner, juxtaposed with Bolden's potential, will be a topic of internal conversation.
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In: T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Ben Yurosek
Others: Gavin Bartholomew, Bryson Nesbit, Giovanni Ricci
Three men enter: Yurosek, Bartholomew and Nesbit. One will emerge with the No. 3 tight end role.
The Vikings lost O'Connell's favorite Johnny Mundt to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They drafted Bartholomew as a potential replacement and targeted Yurosek and Nesbit as undrafted free agents. Bartholomew missed some spring practice with an injury, allowing Yurosek and Nesbit to make solid impressions.
This is a sneakily important position given the absences of Hockenson and Oliver in recent years, as well as the fact that young quarterbacks like McCarthy tend to value tight ends given their large catch radii.
In: Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Brian O'Neill, Justin Skule, Blake Brandel, Michael Jurgens, Walter Rouse
Others: Logan Brown, Marcellus Johnson, Leroy Watson, Joe Huber, Henry Byrd, Zeke Correll, Vershon Lee
Any evaluation of the trenches at this point is incomplete. Few spring reps involved full-speed pass rushes.
So there's a lot to consider in training camp: How will Fries look health-wise? How quickly can Darrisaw return? And what will the competition for backup roles look like? Jurgens and Rouse will have the leg up as draft picks, while Brown and Huber show potential. Once the players put on the pads in July, these will be the most interesting reps to follow.
In: Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, Jalen Redmond, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Levi Drake Rodriguez
Others: Taki Taimani, Travis Bell, Jonathan Harris, Alexander Williams, Elijah Williams
This is one of the most interesting positions on the roster. Why? Because most of these players have wildly different body types, experience levels and skill sets. Allen and Hargrave are more traditional interior defenders for four-man fronts. Phillips is primarily a run-stopper. Redmond, Ingram-Dawkins and Rodriguez have varying degrees of versatility and impact potential.
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Do the Vikings plan to keep all of these players? What does that mean for Taimani, who had participated before an ankle injury ended his season last fall? Like the offensive line, this group will be worth keeping an eye on.
In: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Bo Richter, Tyler Batty
Others: Gabriel Murphy, Chaz Chambliss
What is defensive coordinator Brian Flores' plan for Turner? He may not unveil his true vision until the games begin, and understandably so. Still, identifying where Turner is lining up — and how much he's contributing from an off-the-ball starting point — is a major question worth examining in the coming months.
In addition, the competition between Richter, Batty, Murphy and Chambliss should be exceptional. First-year outside linebackers coach Thad Bogardus will have his hands full deciding whom to keep in a talented and competitive group.
In: Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Eric Wilson, Kobe King, Brian Asamoah II
Others: Austin Keys, Max Tooley, Dorian Mausi
Keeping five off-ball linebackers feels like a lot, but the decisions here are difficult.
Cashman, Pace and Wilson are locks. King was a sixth-round pick, and the Vikings gave him plenty of opportunity this spring. Asamoah has carved out a role on special teams and is familiar with Flores' system, but if there's a roster crunch elsewhere, it would be interesting to see how the Vikings handled these five. Special teams may factor prominently in the eventual decision.
In: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah, Mekhi Blackmon, Jack Jones
Others: Dwight McGlothern, Zemaiah Vaughn, Ambry Thomas, Reddy Steward, Kahlef Hailassie, Keenan Garber
Besides quarterback, this is probably the most uncertain position on the roster. Murphy is proven, and the Vikings feel strongly about what Rodgers and Okudah are capable of.
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But the rest of the depth remains a question mark. Blackmon is returning from a torn ACL, but there are reasons to believe he could hold his own if he's asked to play regular snaps. McGlothern and Vaughn are undrafted players who have shown potential, but both need big training camps.
Minnesota could still add a cornerback to this group — especially in the event of an injury — and there are plenty of options. Jalen Ramsey and Jaire Alexander are available. Asante Samuel Jr. is another savvy corner who would fit Flores' zone-centric scheme. Another interesting name is Jones, who isn't perfect but could come at a more palatable cost.
In: Harrison Smith, Theo Jackson, Josh Metellus, Jay Ward, Tavierre Thomas
Others: Bubba Bolden, Mishael Powell
The lack of conversation around Jackson's increased role speaks to what he's shown in past years. He has wowed the Vikings in spring and fall practices. He performed in in-game opportunities as well, specifically last season in Seattle. Still, safety is the hub of communication in Flores' check system, so the transition may take some time.
Metellus' importance is inarguable, which is why his contract status is relevant. He wants to remain in Minnesota, and the Vikings want to keep him. Whether or not the two sides will agree on terms before training camp remains a question mark.
In: Will Reichard, K; Ryan Wright, P; Andrew DePaola, LS
Others: Oscar Chapman
Wright has the most to prove. Thirty-one NFL punters have booted the ball 100 or more times since the beginning of 2022. None has a lower percentage of punts where the returning team takes over inside the 10-yard line. His accuracy and touch have been issues.
This phase may be more significant than in years past, too, because of the adjusted kickoff rules. Maximizing field position may not be a sexy subject, but it's why some teams win on the margins and others don't.
(Photo of, left to right, J.J. McCarthy, Sam Howell, Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer: Matt Krohn / Imagn Images)