Vikings roster projection: Players have one more week to make an impression

The clock is ticking as time is running out for Vikings players to state their cases for a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

The Vikings have one more week of practices and Friday’s preseason finale against the Tennessee Titans to evaluate competitions at backup quarterback, receiver, punter, punt returner and more. All NFL teams must trim rosters down by 3 p.m. on Aug. 26.

Following last week’s joint practices and preseason game with the New England Patriots, here’s my revised roster projection.

Previous projections: Aug. 4 | Aug. 11

J.J. McCarthy, Brett Rypien, Max Brosmer

Waived: Sam Howell

Coach Kevin O’Connell has praised Rypien’s knowledge of the offense and recently said a backup’s most important ability is to retain and execute the game plan at the drop of a hat without practice reps. It helps that Rypien looked better in Saturday’s exhibition against the Patriots. Howell did not fare well with a 0.0 passer rating. The former Commanders starter also has not looked consistently sharp in training camp. Given Brosmer’s ascension and continued praise from O’Connell, it’d appear there are three quarterbacks that the head coach would lean toward keeping on the current roster.

Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Zavier Scott, C.J. Ham

Waived: Ty Chandler, Tre Stewart

Coaches have been getting long looks at Scott, the 2023 undrafted runner who spent last year on Minnesota’s practice squad. He’s looked good, showing his versatility as a former college receiver with four catches for 55 yards over two exhibitions. He stays at the No. 3 running back spot in this projection behind Jones and Mason. Ham, the stalwart fullback, enters his 10th NFL season for an offense that wants to run the ball more. He should be plenty involved.

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Justin Jefferson, Jalen Nailor, Tai Felton, Lucky Jackson, Tim Jones

Injured reserve: Rondale Moore

Waived: Myles Price, Jeshaun Jones, Thayer Thomas, Silas Bolden, Dontae Fleming, Robert Lewis

The pecking order behind Jefferson, Addison and Nailor seems as muddy as ever after Jackson — the No. 4 receiver throughout camp — dropped two passes in a lackluster showing on Saturday. Jeshaun Jones, the second-year receiver out of Maryland, hasn’t been getting many opportunities in practices or games. Price, the undrafted Indiana receiver, flashed with an 81-yard kickoff return against the Patriots and has a strong rapport with Brosmer that should land him on the practice squad. Price is still competing for the punt returner job, too. But in this projection, I gave the fifth spot to 27-year-old veteran Tim Jones, who plays more spots on special teams and could contribute during Addison’s three-game suspension.

T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Ben Yurosek

PUP list: Gavin Bartholomew

The No. 3 job appears wide open. Ben Yurosek, the undrafted signee who got the guaranteed money of a sixth-round draft pick ($254,000), gets the nod here. Bartholomew, the sixth-round rookie dealing with a back injury, could start the season on the physically unable to perform list, forcing him to miss at least four games.

T Christian Darrisaw, G Donovan Jackson, C Ryan Kelly, G Will Fries, T Brian O’Neill, G/T Blake Brandel, C/G Michael Jurgens, T Justin Skule, T Walter Rouse

Waived: G Henry Byrd, C/G Joe Huber, G Vershon Lee, G Michael Gonzalez

The top nine blockers appear pretty straightforward with their newly formed starting five and three reserves — Brandel, Jurgens and Rouse — from last year’s team. Skule replaces David Quessenberry as the swing tackle. Jackson, this year’s first-round pick out of Ohio State, appears a lock to start at left guard on Sept. 8 in Chicago after he was held out of Saturday’s exhibition with the rest of the starters.

OLB Jonathan Greenard, OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB Dallas Turner, OLB Bo Richter, OLB Gabe Murphy, DT Harrison Phillips, DT Jonathan Allen, DT Javon Hargrave, DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, DT Jalen Redmond, DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

This is a loaded group that has recently seen Ingram-Dawkins, the fifth-round rookie, get long looks with the starters in practices. Coaches have also praised the continued development of Richter and Murphy behind Greenard, Van Ginkel and Turner. It’s worth noting that Van Ginkel has not practiced in about a week because of an undisclosed injury. Batty, this year’s top undrafted signing, suffered a wrist injury against the Patriots and did not return. Taimani is the first guy out, for me, despite him being one of two undrafted rookies who made the initial 53-man roster last year.

Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Eric Wilson, Kobe King

Waived: Austin Keys, Dorian Mausi, Brian Asamoah II

Asamoah, the 2022 third-round pick, was released last week as the writing was on the wall about his continued lack of a role under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. He was claimed off waivers by the Titans. The Vikings brought back Wilson, the undrafted linebacker who played alongside Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks in Minnesota from 2017 to 2020, for depth. King, the rookie sixth-round pick, should also make the team and contribute on special teams.

CB Byron Murphy Jr., CB Isaiah Rodgers, CB Jeff Okudah, CB Mekhi Blackmon, CB Zemaiah Vaughn, S Harrison Smith, S Josh Metellus, S Theo Jackson, S Jay Ward, S Tavierre Thomas, CB/S Kahlef Hailassie

I changed up a couple projections in the secondary, adding Vaughn — a long-limbed, undrafted rookie — and Hailassie, who has been a versatile standout in practices. They take the spots of Asamoah and McGlothern, whom I project the Vikings to waive after his little involvement during last week’s joint practices against New England. Coaches worked McGlothern behind Vaughn, Blackmon and Thomas, who were all with the second unit.

K Will Reichard, P Ryan Wright, LS Andrew DePaola

International spot: P Oscar Chapman

The punting competition appears close between Wright, the incumbent, and Oscar Chapman, the Australian rookie. Chapman will have a roster spot through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program even if he doesn’t win the job. But both have punted well during preseason games. The two punters also split holding duties on Saturday against New England for Reichard’s four successful field goals.