The Vikings’ 53-man roster is set for now, and while Sunday’s cuts didn’t bring a flood of surprises, a few players clearly came out of the process in much better shape than they went in.
Brett Thorson is one of them. With a year on his International Player Pathway roster exemption, he looked like a natural practice-squad candidate, the kind of player who wouldn’t count against the limit.
Minnesota had other ideas. The Vikings apparently believed they could lose him if they tried to sneak him through, and that was enough to keep the Australian punter over veteran Johnny Hekker.
The numbers barely separated the two during the preseason. Hekker finished with nine punts for 434 yards, no touchbacks, five downed inside the 20 and an average net of 40.0 yards per punt.
Thorson had eight punts for 380 yards, also with no touchbacks and five inside the 20, while averaging 41.5 net yards per punt. When the production is that close, age and cost can tip the scale - and Thorson got the nod.
Demond Claiborne also found himself on the right side of the numbers game. Minnesota kept three halfbacks on the roster, and the final spot came down to Claiborne or Zavier Scott. Scott had been a useful piece last season, but the Vikings opted for the rookie instead.
Claiborne got a heavy preseason workload, leading all players with 28 rushing attempts. That kind of usage says plenty about how Kevin O'Connell views him. He didn’t fully reproduce the burst he flashed at training camp, but Minnesota clearly wants another look.
Caleb Tiernan is another player whose roster spot says as much about what the Vikings see behind the scenes as what showed up in games. His preseason was rough, capped by a 28.2 Pro Football Focus grade, the lowest among Vikings players who logged at least 30 snaps. Even so, he survived the cuts, which suggests Minnesota values his practice work.
Tiernan’s path hasn’t been smooth. He was hurt with an ankle injury in the team’s first preseason game against the Giants. Still, his 6-foot-7, 323-pound frame gives him something to build on if he can put the injury behind him.
Then there’s Chaz Chambliss, whose value has grown because he can do a little of everything. Listed as an edge rusher, he spent the preseason bouncing between offense and defense, with special teams likely to be his main lane. In Minnesota’s final preseason game, he lined up at fullback, blocked well and caught a four-yard pass against the Broncos.
Chambliss even changed his jersey number from 57 to 40 so he could be eligible to back up at fullback if needed. That kind of flexibility is exactly why his outlook looks brighter after roster cuts.
In Other News...
Vikings Already Reworking Their Roster As More Moves Loom
The Vikings trimmed down to their initial 53-man roster, then immediately started reshaping it by claiming two offensive linemen off waivers and clearing room with another round of cuts. Quarterback Max Brosmer and wide receiver Dillon Bell were both on the first version of the final roster, only to be waived shortly after as Minnesota continued to adjust the back end of the roster.
Brosmer and Bell could still circle back to the organization if they clear waivers and land on the practice squad, but for now their status reflects just how unsettled things remain in Minnesota. With the opener approaching, the Vikings still appear to have more sorting to do, and this latest shuffle suggests the roster picture may not settle for a while yet. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Practice Squad Is Taking Shape With One Decision Still Looming
The Vikings practice squad is starting to come into focus after the team filled most of the spots with familiar names from training camp. Fifteen players landed on the unit, giving Minnesota a group that already knows the system and has spent much of the summer around the building. Among the players on the list are DaVeawn Armstead, Michael Briscoe and Jack Nelson, along with several others who were part of the teams recent camp work.
One decision still hangs over the group, though, and it could shape the final look of the squad. Minnesota waived quarterback Max Brosmer and wide receiver Dillon Bell to make room for new waiver claims, and both could still circle back as the Vikings sort through the last bit of roster business. For a team that likes continuity on the back end of the roster, the final choice will say plenty about which developmental pieces the Vikings want closest at hand. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Created A Roster Problem Fans Will Blame On O'Connell
The Vikings are heading into the season with an unusually crowded quarterback room, and it is already creating a ripple effect across the roster. Keeping four passers in the building, including Kyler Murray as the starter along with J.J. McCarthy, Max Brosmer and Carson Wentz, gives Minnesota plenty of insurance at the sports most important position, but it also comes at a cost when the rest of the roster has to be trimmed.
For Kevin OConnell, the pressure point is obvious: every extra quarterback takes away flexibility elsewhere, and fans are likely to notice if a depth spot at another position gets squeezed because of it. There is already speculation about whether McCarthy could be moved or Brosmer could end up on the practice squad, but for now the Vikings are left with a roster puzzle that could make one of the leagues most important decisions feel like a personnel problem too. [Read more 🡒]