Three Vikings players that may have saved their jobs on Saturday vs. Browns

The Minnesota Vikings are in a great position after their second preseason game. They handled the Cleveland Browns by a score of 27-12. The Vikings held a 13-7 lead at halftime and controlled the game after the first quarter.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell used the game as a vessel to help develop assistants on both the offensive and defensive side of the football by having his assistants call plays. It's a good method to continue development while allowing O'Connell keep an eye on things from a broad perspective.

That broad perspective is important during the preseason as the Vikings are looking to see who is going to make the team and who will be cut and potentially make the practice squad. These three players may have saved their jobs on Saturday.

RB Kene Nwangwu

Coming out of Iowa State, Nwangwu didn't touch the ball much. He spent his time backing up David Montgomery then Breece Hall, both of whom were drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft. They carried the Iowa State Cyclones to success on offense and that context is important.

It also meant that Nwangwu was raw coming out of college and he hasn't had a lot of reps to develop. Nwangwu has just 27 carries for 88 yards in the regular season and that isn't exactly a recipe for success.

Over the last two preseason games, we have seen a different Nwangwu. He looks more confident with his vision and is using his speed more effectively. The pass blocking ability flashes but it's inconsistent. If he can get that fixed, the Vikings might have something in him.

S Lewis Cine

After being the first-round pick in general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's first NFL Draft, Cine has not had the best beginning to his career. Over his first two seasons, Cine has played in just 10 defensive snaps. He played in two over his first season before suffering a compound fracture of his leg in week four against the New Orleans Saints. The following year, Cine played in just eight with all of them coming in mop up duty in a blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers on New Year's Eve.

Now, Cine thriving against the Browns in the preseason shouldn't be a surprise considering his talent and pedigree, but his story makes things a little more difficult. A compound fracture like Cine has could have ended his career, but he came back to play the next year. There is a chance he wasn't all the way healthy when he returned last year and now he's thriving at full health. Time will tell but it's a good sign.

CB Dwight McGlothern

The Vikings cornerback room has taken some brutal blows this year. They have lost three cornerbacks due to injury or trade and have brought in veterans to help fortify the position. What they didn't expect was a UDFA to stand out and be one of the best at the position during training camp.

McGlothern was overlooked coming out of the NFL Draft due to his poor athletic testing, but he measured in much better with Pro Football Focus' game athletic score (GAS) where he finished in the 92nd percentile. That has shown up on the field in multiple ways, including McGlothern's 91-yard interception return on Saturday. He is primed to make the roster and be mixed into the rotation.

Related: Vikings defense stifles Browns: Lewis Cine, Dwight McGlothern shine in big win