The Vikings’ roster is getting closer to 53-man shape, but the real pressure points are still out on the edges. Training camp and the preseason will decide which depth pieces survive, and for a few Minnesota hopefuls, these next few weeks could make or break their chances.
One of the biggest names to watch is Bartholomew, a sixth-round pick in 2025 whose rookie year never got off the ground because of a back injury. That wiped out his first season before he could even get a proper look, which makes this preseason his first real chance to show the Vikings what he can do in live action.
He’s not walking into an empty room, either. Ben Yurosek, an undrafted free agent, spent much of last season giving Minnesota a steady option at tight end.
That gives Yurosek the advantage of familiarity - he’s already proven he can handle game reps, while Bartholomew is still the unknown. The early camp buzz has been positive, with reports that Bartholomew has been turning heads in practice.
Now he has to carry that into preseason games. If he can show the receiving skill and blocking ability that made him a draftable prospect, he can force his way into the conversation.
If he doesn’t, Yurosek’s early lead could be enough.
Richter is in a different kind of fight, but it’s just as real. He’s heading into his third season in Minnesota and has played in 31 games, yet he has barely made a dent on defense. Last year, he was on the field for just 5% of defensive snaps and spent most of his time helping on special teams instead of affecting the quarterback.
Semi-random Vikings camp takeaway, but I thought TE Gavin Bartholomew looked really good. Made two impressive over the middle catches. Moved well. First time really seeing him out there after back injury happened last year.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) July 30, 2026
That said, the path is there. Behind Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner, the Vikings’ edge depth is thin enough that Richter could stick simply because there aren’t many other proven options.
But that kind of security doesn’t last forever. Minnesota has a habit of looking for late free-agent help at edge, and one veteran addition could squeeze Richter out if he doesn’t show more.
Special teams work won’t be enough this time. He needs to flash as a pass rusher and hold up against the run when he gets extended opportunities.
Taki Taimani (IDL #94) evades the double team and brings down TreVeyon Henderson pic.twitter.com/PlydO9S9f2
— Sean Borman (@SeanBormanNFL) August 16, 2025
Taimani is in a similar spot. He’s also entering his third year with the Vikings, and his production has been limited to say the least: nine games played and 145 snaps over two seasons. What has kept him around is the staff’s trust in him as a steady depth option on the defensive line.
That trust has helped him survive two roster cutdowns, but a third run may demand more than reliability. Eric Johnson and other veteran defensive tackles are expected to push for jobs this summer, and Minnesota may not have the same luxury of keeping an unproven player without much production behind him. Taimani needs a preseason that stands out - disruptive pressure, solid run defense, or visible improvement as a technician - if he wants to hold off challengers.
For Bartholomew, Richter, and Taimani, the formula is simple. What happened before matters less now than what they do in August.
In Other News...
Former Vikings Starter Is Suddenly Fighting For His NFL Future
Alexander Mattisons path since leaving Minnesota has turned into a reminder of how quickly an NFL running back can go from featured role to roster uncertainty. After starting for the Vikings in 2023, when he logged 700 rushing yards without finding the end zone over 16 games, he moved on to the Raiders for the 2024 season and then signed with Miami in 2025, only for a neck injury to derail that opportunity before it really got going.
Now the former Vikings back is trying to keep his career moving after recovering from that setback, a tough spot for a player who has already had to adjust to a changing role. For Minnesota, his 2023 season had already suggested he was better suited to a secondary job than carrying an offense, and the latest chapter only adds to the sense that he is still fighting to prove there is a place for him in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Face A Risky QB Decision With Max Brosmer Still In Play
Max Brosmers first extended run with the Vikings came in a difficult spot, and the rookie was asked to hold up for six starts after injuries pushed him into the lineup. He flashed enough in preseason to earn the opportunity, but the regular season was a rougher test, with the Minnesota offense leaning on him while he tried to settle in and survive the week-to-week churn at quarterback.
Now the Vikings are in a familiar roster-management bind. They have not moved on from Brosmer, but keeping him around is not as simple as sliding him onto the practice squad, because the path there runs through a release and the waiver process first. For a team still sorting out its quarterback depth, that makes Brosmer a tricky piece to handle, especially with the possibility that Minnesota would not be the only club interested in his services. [Read more 🡒]
Baker Mayfield Is Suddenly A Vikings Quarterback Story Again
The quarterback conversation in Minnesota is still very much a moving target, with training camp featuring a competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. Even with that battle underway, the Vikings know the position could be back on the front burner again next offseason if neither option settles things the way they need, which is why familiar names keep circling back into the conversation.
Baker Mayfield is one of them. He is entering the final year of his deal in Tampa Bay without an extension in hand, and his profile still fits the kind of passer Kevin OConnell has tended to value. Minnesota was already connected to Mayfield once before, after Kirk Cousins left, and if the current quarterback plan does not take hold, the Vikings could find themselves looking in that direction again. [Read more 🡒]