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Minnesota Vikings with Most to Win/Lose in Final Week of Preseason, Including Lewis Cine
By Andrew Buller-Russ,
6 hours ago
August 27 is fast approaching. That’s when Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to trim his roster from 90 down to 53 players. It’s the largest day of NFL transactions throughout the entire year. With only one game left, this is their final chance to make a strong impression.
For some, it’s now or never. Play well, and you improve your odds to earn a roster spot. But which Vikings have the most at stake heading into the week?
Matt Corral, QB
Credit: Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK
After J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending injury , the Minnesota Vikings’ top three quarterbacks are set. But the Vikings did recently sign former third-round pick Matt Corral to provide another camp arm. He probably has no shot at making the roster after Jaren Hall’s excellent Week 2 performance where he had a perfect passer rating. However, the Vikings likely want to keep a QB on the practice squad, and Josh McCown’s familiarity with Corral makes the 25-year-old an ideal fit.
Since he signed on Friday, Corral didn’t get to play much on Saturday. But expect to see the former Ole Miss star in the preseason finale. A strong performance should clinch his practice squad spot.
When Trent Sherfield signed over the summer, some felt he could be an early contender for the Vikings’ WR3 role. That’s not going to happen after Jalen Nailor’s breakout performance. The fourth wide receiver job likely goes to Brandon Powell since he has added value as a returner. Trishton Jackson likely isn’t sneaking onto the practice squad after a strong preseason, but he probably has the fifth spot.
However, Sherfield offers something no other Vikings receiver does as a bigger 205-pound target who is known for his blocking ability . But that’s probably not enough to earn a roster spot in a crowded room. He’s also 28, so a practice squad spot likely goes to someone like Malik Knowles, Thayer Thomas, or Jeshaun Jones.
All offseason, Vikings fans clamored for Dalton Risner’s return. But he hasn’t even seen the field during the preseason, and it’s not because he has a starting job locked up. Instead, Risner has battled a back injury. Now some are wondering if the Vikings’ former starting left guard will be left off the roster altogether. Without much depth at the guard spot, Risner may be their best backup option, but he has to get healthy first.
The Vikings’ backup defensive linemen roles are up for grabs. But so far, James Lynch, a former fourth-round pick, hasn’t done enough to merit a spot on the final 53-man roster. He saw 27 snaps in Week 2 against Cleveland, where he graded positively. Pro Football Focus handed Lynch a 70.4 grade , which is above average. But he was also playing against a lot of backups, so he should have excelled.
With Levi Drake Rodriguez playing out of his mind , Lynch may need another strong week to have a chance at snagging one of the final roster spots in Minnesota. It could come down to him and the next player on our list.
Who is Taki Taimani? He’s an undrafted rookie who thrived against Cleveland. The 6-foot-1, 309-pound defensive lineman has earned an elite 91.2 PFF grade this preseason, specifically showing up well as a run defender. Taimani had five stops versus the Browns alone. He entered camp as a super longshot, but Taimani has done everything he can to impress coaches. Another strong week might just place him on the roster.
Credit: Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK
Last year, the Vikings gave Andre Carter a massive $340K signing bonus as an undrafted free agent in what was a big investment into the edge rusher’s future. Yet, now in his second season, Carter has yet to stick out in a good way. Reports indicated Carter needed to bulk up before making an impact, but despite getting 66 snaps in the preseason, the former Navy star may find himself behind 2024 UDFA Bo Richter . Carter’s chances of making the roster don’t look good.
Another highly-touted undrafted rookie, Gabriel Murphy impressed early during Vikings training camp, but he hasn’t even played in the preseason. Other teams likely wanted Murphy after he didn’t get drafted, but now the Vikings will have a tough decision to make. Do they risk letting him sign with another team by cutting him, or do they keep him on the active roster and hope he becomes a contributor as a rookie? Murphy needs to bring his A-game this week.
Acquired via trade for Andrew Booth, Nahshon Wright gives Brian Flores a huge cornerback that he’s been trying to find since he took the Vikings’ DC job. Last year, it was the 6-foot-3 Joejuan Williams. This year, it was supposed to be Khyree Jackson. But now that the Vikings signed Stephon Gilmore, Wright’s chances of making the roster look very slim.
He wasn’t targeted while seeing 38 snaps against Cleveland, so we’ll see how Wright does against Philadelphia in the preseason finale . Wright’s odds of making the roster may be dwindling, but the former third-round pick could be an ideal practice squad candidate.
The Lewis Cine we saw against Cleveland is exactly what the Vikings had in mind when they made him the 32nd overall pick in 2022. A devastating season-ending leg fracture obviously slowed his development. Last year, the Vikings had a stacked safety room, making it hard for Cine to climb the depth chart while learning a new defense.
But the 24-year-old looked like a new man on Saturday. Cine made the decision very difficult in what’s already a crowded secondary, but giving up on the former first-round pick doesn’t feel right after his recent surge. Can he do it again? Cine might have to in order to keep his job.
The former fan favorite made his triumphant return to Minnesota this offseason, but the Vikings have since added Fabian Moreau, Nahshon Wright, and Stephon Gilmore. Minnesota’s top three, possibly even four corners are locked in. This means Shelley is fighting for the fifth and potentially sixth roster spot. However, undrafted free agent Dwight McGlothern may have a higher ceiling, and he’s just 22, whereas Shelley is 27. Right now, we’d give the edge to the rookie.
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