The Minnesota Vikings are heading into the final preseason game with the biggest question already answered: Kyler Murray is the guy.
Coach Kevin O’Connell made that call earlier this month, tabbing Murray as the Week 1 starter over J.J. McCarthy and setting the tone for a Sept. 13 home opener against the Green Bay Packers. Murray’s arrival in March on a one-year deal after his release by the Arizona Cardinals gave Minnesota a veteran option at quarterback, and the team is treating him like the stabilizer it needs after an uneven 2025 run that saw it drop eight of its first 12 games and fall out of playoff contention before a late five-game winning streak.
Now the focus shifts to the final roster decisions. The Vikings play their last preseason game Friday at the Denver Broncos, then must get down to 53 players by 6 p.m.
ET Sunday. Based on camp, preseason performance and positional fit, here’s how the roster is shaping up, with reporting from multiple outlets including a detailed projection from ClutchPoints.
Behind Murray, the quarterback room is where things get interesting. O’Connell currently has J.J.
McCarthy listed as the No. 2, but Carson Wentz has made a case with his command of the offense in limited action. Some projections have Wentz leapfrogging McCarthy and taking the backup job, which would leave the 2024 first-round pick as the third quarterback and possibly a trade candidate once the rest of the league sorts through its own roster cuts.
Max Brosmer is expected to land on the practice squad.
Carrying three quarterbacks would give Minnesota some protection after recent seasons full of injury-related depth issues. Trading McCarthy would also clear some roster pressure, though the team has been consistent publicly that he still has a future in Minnesota.
At running back, Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason look like the main pairing, with the possibility they split work nearly evenly. Demond Claiborne adds verified 4.37 speed, while fullback Max Bredeson brings blocking and a few carries. Zavier Scott, though, appears to be the one with the shakier hold on a roster spot in some projections.
The receiver group is built around Justin Jefferson, who enters the season looking to reclaim his place as the league’s top target opposite Murray. Jordan Addison remains the clear No. 2, with Jauan Jennings sliding into the third spot. Myles Price and Tai Felton round out the depth chart and should help on special teams as well.
Tight end depth depends a lot on T.J. Hockenson staying on the field. Josh Oliver offers dependable blocking and some receiving value, while Gavin Bartholomew has stood out in camp after a neck injury cut into his season last year.
Up front, the offensive line may be the most important unit on the roster. If Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill stay healthy, they project as potential All-Pro level tackles.
Inside, Donovan Jackson, Blake Brandel and Will Fries have to hold steady. The depth picture looks better than it has in recent years, with Ryan Van Demark, Michael Jurgens, Joe Huber, Caleb Tiernan and Walter Rouse all in the mix.
On defense, Brian Flores is expected to lean on Jalen Redmond to anchor a young line that also includes rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange. There isn’t much veteran experience there, so early production from the newcomers will matter.
Linebacker is where the Vikings may find some of their biggest plays. Andrew Van Ginkel is a turnover threat, Dallas Turner has the tools to reach double-digit sacks, and Blake Cashman brings dependable tackling. Eric Wilson, Jake Golday, Bo Richter and Tyler Batty fill out the group, while Ivan Pace Jr. is sitting on the bubble in most projections.
The secondary remains a concern, even if the talent is there. Byron Murphy Jr. has All-Pro upside, and Isaiah Rodgers can create turnovers, but the consistency and depth still need work.
At safety, Joshua Metellus becomes even more important now that Harrison Smith is gone. Jamal Adams’ season-ending injury makes the rookies Jakobe Thomas and Jacob Thomas more valuable as depth, alongside Jay Ward, Theo Jackson and Tavierre Thomas.
Special teams looks pretty settled. Will Reichard is projected as one of the league’s best kickers, Brett Thorson has won the punting job, and Andrew DePaola is back at long snapper.
The broad picture matches up closely with ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, even if there are some differences in the backup quarterback order and a few depth spots. But the main themes are the same: Murray has to give Minnesota steady quarterback play, the offensive line has to keep him upright, and the defense needs impact plays from its linebackers and secondary if the Vikings are going to contend in the NFC North.
In Other News...
Vikings May Have Found The Run Stuffer Brian Flores Needed
Domonique Orange has quickly become one of the more interesting early developments in Vikings camp, and it is easy to see why. The rookie third-round pick out of Iowa State already looks like he can help Minnesota shore up the middle, bringing the kind of size and power that can make life miserable for interior offensive linemen. Analysts have even drawn a familiar comparison to former Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams, a name that still carries weight around these parts for the way he anchored the run defense.
For Brian Flores, that sort of presence is exactly the kind of addition the front would be looking for. Orange has shown the ability to push blockers back and hold his ground in the gaps, which gives Minnesota a chance to get sturdier up front without asking too much of him too soon. The expectation is that he will have a role right away in the rotation, and if those early signs hold, the Vikings may have found a useful run stuffer before his first season even gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Are Trying An Unusual Chaz Chambliss Experiment
Chaz Chambliss has become one of the more unusual camp stories around the Vikings this summer, spending time at fullback during joint practices after lining up as an outside linebacker. He also switched his jersey number from 57 to 40, a move that makes him eligible to handle both roles and gives Minnesota some added flexibility as it sorts through the depth chart behind the starters.
Chambliss arrived as an undrafted free agent last offseason and spent most of his rookie year working on special teams, so this is not exactly a sudden reinvention. Still, the Vikings seem to be exploring him as an emergency fullback option, potentially as a backup to rookie Max Bredeson, which is the kind of cross-training that can quietly shape a roster even if it never becomes a headline move on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Receiver Depth Battle Just Took A Brutal Turn
The Vikings receiver depth chart just got a little thinner before the season even settles in, with Jeshaun Jones hit by a three-game suspension for violating the NFLs substance abuse policy. Jones has spent most of his time on Minnesotas practice squad and was already hovering on the roster bubble, so the timing only makes his path tougher as the team sorts out the back end of the wideout room.
Jones will not be eligible for reinstatement until Sept. 28, leaving the Vikings to keep evaluating their options without one of the receivers competing for a fringe spot. For a group where every practice rep matters, the setback removes a player who was still trying to turn preseason opportunity into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]