Here are five Vikings players with something to prove as cutdown day looms
The Vikings have less than a week to finalize their initial 53-man roster for the season.
All the hard work from the past few months will culminate on Tuesday afternoon when players find out whether they made the team.
Though some players on the Vikings have more than likely already done enough to secure their roster spot heading into the preseason finale against the Eagles, other players could benefit from a solid effort on Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Here are five players on the Vikings with something to prove:
Lewis Cine
After the best performance of his career Saturday in the preseason game against the Browns, the third-year safety still finds himself on the bubble. He’s currently buried on the depth chart behind fellow safeties Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum, Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson, and it’s hard to envision Cine supplanting any of those players.
If he can make a few plays this weekend in the preseason finale against the Eagles, however, it might be enough for the Vikings to consider keeping him around. The fact that the Vikings selected Cine in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft works in his favor. Nobody likes to give up on a player after spending so much draft capital on him.
Jaren Hall
This is a tough evaluation because the decision on the second-year quarterback might have less to do with what he does on the field and more to do with whether the Vikings think they can sneak him onto the practice squad. Though he would certainly help his cause with another good showing this weekend, Hall could end up being at the mercy of the numbers elsewhere on the roster.
If the Vikings decide to cut Hall next week, he would have to clear waivers before he could be signed to the practice squad. After working hard to develop Hall, head coach Kevin O’Connell might not want to take the risk of somebody else claiming him.
Dwight McGlothern
The competition for a roster spot got even tougher for the undrafted cornerback this week with the signing of veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The only locks to make the team at this point aside from Gilmore are fellow cornerbacks Shaq Griffin and Byron Murphy Jr.
The good news for McGlothern is he played well last weekend, recording an interception in the red zone, then popping up to his feet and nearly returning it for a touchdown. If he can add another interception to his résumé this weekend, it could go a long way toward him making the team.
Bo Richter
The undrafted edge rusher has endeared himself to the fan base throughout training camp. Has he endeared himself to the front office? That remains to be seen. His athleticism is off the charts and he has shown the ability to generate pressure with a pair of sacks in the exhibition slate.
The biggest problem facing Richter is that he’s competing for playing time with fellow edge rushers Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Pat Jones II and Jihad Ward. It’s hard to see the Vikings cutting any of those players, so Richter is facing an uphill climb heading into this weekend.
Taki Taimani
This name will more than likely come out of left field to most people. That said, the undrafted defensive tackle has quietly put himself in a position to make the team, even garnering praise from defensive coordinator Brian Flores this week.
It’s not a coincidence that Flores brought up Taimani in conversation. He was among the highest-graded players on the Vikings against the Browns, according to Pro Football Focus, and if he can repeat that this weekend, it could be hard to deny him a roster spot.
Related Articles
Vikings receiver Trishton Jackson might be a lock to make the team. Just don’t tell him that.
After criticism from Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Vikings’ Brian Flores says he’s trying to learn and evolve
Why veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore chose to play for the Vikings
Ryan Wright wins punting competition as Vikings part ways with Seth Vernon
Who’s in? Who’s out? Here’s our latest 53-man roster projection for the Vikings