The Vikings are heading into the final week of preseason with a roster that still needs some real decisions, and the most obvious ones are starting to come into focus.
If Minnesota is going to trim down to 53 the right way, the front office should come away with a handful of moves that reward performance, stabilize weak spots, and stop pretending the current depth chart is already settled. That means keeping two preseason standouts, addressing center, adding help off the edge, and trusting the more polished defensive lineman for now.
The easiest calls involve linebacker Jacob Roberts and safety Jacob Thomas. Both have played their way onto the roster, and both have forced the issue with production. Together, they’ve posted two interceptions and 19 tackles in the preseason, and they’ve outperformed the Vikings’ top draft picks such as Caleb Banks or Jake Golday.
Their work showed up right away in the preseason opener against the New York Giants, when Roberts and Thomas both landed in the top five of all NFL rookies in Pro Football Focus grading. Roberts, a former CFL player who recorded 93 tackles and four sacks in 2025 with the Calgary Stampeders, has flashed as both a run defender and a coverage player. Thomas, the undrafted free agent out of James Madison, has already shown the kind of ball skills that jump off the screen.
That rise doesn’t come without a ripple effect. Veterans like Ivan Pace Jr. or Theo Jackson suddenly look a lot more vulnerable, especially after both have completely disappeared for the Vikings this summer.
At center, the problems have gone from concerning to stubborn. Minnesota’s decision to try Blake Brandel there has not produced the clean answer the team hoped for, and the snapping issues are still hanging around. Brandel had never played center before stepping in for the injured Ryan Kelly last season, and even after a full offseason at the position, the trouble hasn’t gone away.
That’s why the Vikings should look to Seattle and make a move for Olu Oluwatimi, even if it costs a late-round pick. The former Seahawks center has started 13 games and has slipped out of favor, which makes him a realistic target.
He also posted a 67.2 PFF grade in the preseason, giving Minnesota a dependable baseline. Add in his run-blocking, and he’d give Kevin O’Connell’s new emphasis on the rushing game another piece to work with.
Oluwatimi is not being sold as a star. But he does bring experience and steadiness to a position that handles the ball on every snap, and that alone makes him a better bet than Brandel right now.
The edge group needs help too, and that conversation has lingered long enough. Minnesota has starters Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel, but the depth behind them is thin enough to be a problem if injuries hit. Tyler Batty and Bo Richter have zero combined career sacks, which is why the Vikings should use some of their $22 million in cap space on a veteran like Reddick.
Reddick had double-digit sacks as recently as 2023, and while Minnesota wouldn’t be asking him to carry the pass rush, he could still supply a useful veteran presence. Last season with Tampa Bay, he produced 2.5 sacks and 34 pressures in 13 games. On a modest one-year deal, he’d give the Vikings a proven speed rusher behind the starters and something they simply do not have now.
The final call is less about splash and more about honesty. Right now, Williams looks like the more complete player than Banks, and that matters. Banks’ own words made that pretty clear after his February foot injury slowed his summer.
“To be honest, I’m out of shape right now. I need to run more gassers after practice. You guys will see me doing that," said Banks (h/t Andrew Krammer of the Star-Tribune).
Williams hasn’t put up eye-popping numbers - he has two tackles and one sack this preseason - but he has been steady, and that consistency has already earned him consideration beyond just a roster spot. The former undrafted free agent built on limited action from last season by posting his best defensive PFF grade, an 86.5, against the Ravens, and Minnesota may need to lean on him until Banks is ready to handle NFL-level competition.
In Other News...
Justin Jefferson Just Put Minnesotas QB Turmoil In A New Light
Justin Jefferson said he was in McCarthys corner during the rookie quarterbacks difficult 2025 season as the Vikings starter, offering private support even as the outside noise around the offense kept building. Jefferson framed it as part of leadership, saying the job calls for keeping frustrations in check and giving teammates the kind of encouragement that can steady a huddle when the public conversation gets loud.
Kyler Murray has since been named Minnesotas starting quarterback after a competition with McCarthy, which only sharpens the backdrop around Jeffersons comments. For a team that has already lived through plenty of quarterback uncertainty, Jeffersons view offers a glimpse at how much has been happening behind the scenes, and how much of the Vikings next step may depend on whether that locker-room steadiness can match the change under center. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings May Have Found The Run Stuffer Brian Flores Needed
A fresh face in the middle of the Vikings defensive line is already drawing attention for the kind of work that does not always show up in the flashier preseason clips. Domonique Orange, the rookie third-round pick out of Iowa State, has begun to establish himself as a potential early answer to one of Minnesotas lingering needs up front: a steady run defender who can absorb contact, hold his ground and make life harder for teams trying to pound the ball inside.
What has stood out most is the way Orange carries himself at the point of attack. Analysts have already started comparing his style and sheer presence to former Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams, a name that still resonates with fans who remember what a true interior anchor can do for a defense. If that early impression holds, Orange should be in line to contribute right away in a rotational role, giving Brian Flores another body who can help stabilize the run defense as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Have A Bigger J.J. McCarthy Problem Than Expected
The Vikings preseason has brought more uncertainty than clarity, and it is not just about what happens behind center. J.J. McCarthy has drawn concern for a perceived step backward in his development, while the roster around him has also looked thinner than expected, especially on the edge where Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel need help that does not appear especially plentiful. Analysts Darren Campbell and Dave Stefano have both raised questions about McCarthys progress, and the timing matters with the final preseason game looming before the August 30 cut-down deadline.
Minnesota is still sorting through a wider set of issues than a typical August evaluation, with Brian Flores remaining in the building while his discrimination lawsuit continues to hang over the organization. The quarterback conversation is the one drawing the most attention, but the Vikings broader challenge is just as important: finding enough dependable answers in a market where veteran edge rushers are scarce. The next few days should offer a clearer read on where McCarthy stands, and whether the team has enough around him to avoid turning one concern into several. [Read more 🡒]