Despite being longshots, 2 hidden gems made the Minnesota Vikings roster

The Minnesota Vikings have finalized their initial 53-man roster and we are 12 days away from seeing the team take on the New York Giants on Sunday, September 8th. We have been waiting for the beginning of the 2024 season since the 2023 season ended on January 7th. It will have been eight full months and one day between Vikings football games.

After an excellent preseason, the Vikings are riding high at 3-0, but the games finally start to count against the Giants. They will have a group of 53 players plus the practice squad ready to roll. There are some surprises on the final 53-man roster .

DT Taki Taimani

The idea of Taimani being a surprise is twofold. His play was deserving but jumping multiple spots on the depth chart was a surprise. Taimani was given $95k fully guaranteed as a UDFA, ranking third among Vikings signed after the NFL Draft.

Taimani had a standout preseason where he was clogging running lanes, holding up well at the point of attack and thrived in penetrating into the backfield. The Vikings needed someone to step up as a depth player and he lived up to the billing.

DT Jalen Redmond

When you talk about Mr. Mankato candidates, Redmond should be at the top of the list. The problem with a lot of what Redmond has done isn't what gets you nominated for an award like this. Redmond does a lot of the dirty work that allows his teammates to get sacks and pressures.

Redmond continued to crash offensive linemen consistently and thrived in all situations the Vikings put him in. He was a massive longshot to make the roster but found a way to do so with a tremendous preseason and training camp.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Roster Cuts Tracker 2024: Keeping tabs on all of the moves to get to 53