Evaluating & Projecting The Roster

[Klomp]

1 hour ago, DisplacedViking said:

Ha, so I do, and that is at least one too many! Dang, I wish we were so deep at every position. I guess I would see if Aruna is ready for primetime or the PS. If he sticks, one of Johnson or Holmes to the PS, or cut Parry. Then if one of those dudes goes to the PS, I probably cut Horace. It's a good thing I don't do this for a living, probably be fired already!

I'd probably drop Bower before Aruna, Johnson or Holmes

[SemperFeist]

18 minutes ago, Klomp said:

I'd probably drop Bower before Aruna, Johnson or Holmes

Really!? 

Aruna does nothing for me right now, while Bower actually looks like a promising rotational pass rusher. Aruna seems like a perfect PS candidate for 2018, who’ll take Robison’s roster spot in 2019. 

[Krauser]

If they keep Parry, they'll likely keep 10 DL. Hard to imagine they release Robison, and unless they cut all but one of the young DEs (agree Bower is the most promising of them so far), that'll be 5 DEs. Hard to imagine Johnson and Holmes won't make the team, so Parry would be a 5th DT and 10th DL. I don't predict he makes it, but everyone loves NTs. 

If you want to keep 10 DL on that roster, lose a LB. They probably only keep 6 LBs, or even 5 for the first month given that Brothers will be suspended for 4 games. 

I think they'll keep a 6th WR. They need a backup and rotational option for Treadwell at X / split end. Wright and Coley play the same position as each other, they'll want at least one bigger backup WR. 

[vike daddy]

The Minnesota Vikings 90-man roster is still at 90 after the conclusion of OTAs and minicamps.  Now, they have until the final week of the preseason to trim things down to 53 players. 

https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Bolt/Minnesota-Vikings-90-man-roster-updated-Week-of-July-4-117853888/

[SemperFeist]

And looking at the roster, I see 45 spots that I’d pen in. Leaving 45 guys fighting for 8 spots. 

[SemperFeist]

Final prediction,

QB (3): Kirk Cousins, Trevor Siemian, Kyle Sloter

RB (4): Dalvin Cook, Latavius Murray, CJ Ham, Mike Boone

WR (6): Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Laquon Treadwell, Kendall Wright, Stacy Coley, Brandon Zylstra

TE (3): Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan, Tyler Conklin

OL (10): Riley Reiff, Nick Easton, Pat Elflein, Mike Remmers, Rashod Hill, Tom Compton, Brian O’Neill, Danny Isidora, Colby Gossett, Aviante Collins

 

DL (9): Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph, Sheldon Richardson, Danielle Hunter, Tashawn Bower, Jaleel Johnson, Brian Robison, Jalyn Holmes, Ifeadi Odenigbo

LB (5): Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Ben Gedeon, Eric Wilson, Devante Downs

CB (6): Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, Mike Hughes, Mackensie Alexander, Terence Newman, Holton Hill

S (4): Harrison Smith, Andrew Sendejo, Anthony Harris, Jayron Kearse

 

ST (3): Daniel Carlson, Ryan Quigley, Kevin McDermott

[VikeManDan]

I really like that prediction @SemperFeist 

[Krauser]

Another stab at it, for the beginning of training camp: 

QB: Cousins, Siemian, Sloter
RB: Cook, Murray, Boone, Ham (FB)
WR: Thielen, Diggs, Treadwell, Wright, Zylstra, Coley
TE: Rudolph, Morgan, Conklin
OL: Reiff, Easton, Elflein, Remmers, Hill, Compton, Isidora, O’Neill, Collins, Gossett
DL: Griffen, Richardson, Joseph, Hunter, Robison, Bower, Holmes, Johnson, Aruna
LB: Barr, Kendricks, Gedeon, Wilson, Downs (Brothers)
CB: Rhodes, Waynes, Hughes, Alexander, Hill, Sherels
S: Smith, Sendejo, Harris, Kearse
ST: Carlson, Quigley, McDermott

PS: Thomas, Badet, Robertson, Edison, Gonzalez, Cothran, Needham, Dooley, Richardson, Matthews (Cayleb Jones)

10 OL still seems like too much (probably need a 6th LB instead) but hard to know which one is most expendable until preseason. 

Weatherly gets released, Bower plays as a rotational DE, Odenigbo signs elsewhere to a different practice squad, Aruna makes the team but is typically inactive on game days. If Weatherly plays better than I expect and makes the roster, Aruna goes to the PS. 

Hughes plays well enough to start at nickel. Alexander backs up all 3 CB positions. Hill is CB5 and Sherels is kept for his value on special teams. Newman retires and is kept as a DB coach, with an option to un-retire and come back to the active roster in case of long-term injury to one of the top 4 CBs.
 

[SemperFeist]

I went with 10 offensive linemen simply because after looking at who’s going to be a starter, then who are the backups/rotational players, the guys I looked at next are the young, developmental players who are likely guys that I wouldn’t want to expose to waivers. And of all of those players, the majority of guys that I’m not willing to expose are o-linemen, like Collins and Gossett.  

[Krauser]

2 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

I went with 10 offensive linemen simply because after looking at who’s going to be a starter, then who are the backups/rotational players, the guys I looked at next are the young, developmental players who are likely guys that I wouldn’t want to expose to waivers. And of all of those players, the majority of guys that I’m not willing to expose are o-linemen, like Collins and Gossett.  

Yeah I think they need to keep Compton so there's at least one veteran utility depth guy (Sirles from last year). And I'd rather keep all 3 of Collins, Isidora and Gossett -- at least based on my expectations now, before preseason -- than a 6th LB like Cliett or an 11th DB or Blake Bell as a 4th TE. 

[SemperFeist]

I don’t see a real need for a 6th linebacker. Certainly not since the team is expected to be in nickel packages 75% of the time. 

With Gedeon as your 3rd linebacker/ primary backup, that still leaves you with 2 spots to fill with special teams/developmental players. Four “backup” linebackers for a team that really only utilizes two just seems like over kill. 

[Kparty15]

Offense (25):

QB (3):  Kirk Cousins/Trevor Siemian/Kyle Sloter

RB/FB (3):  Dalvin Cook/Latavius Murray/CJ Ham

WR (6): Stefon Diggs/Adam Thielen/Laquon Treadwell/Kendall Wright/Stacey Coley/Brandon Zylstra

TE (4): Kyle Rudolph/David Morgan/Blake Bell/Tyler Conklin

OT (4): Riley Reiff/Mike Remmers/Rashod Hill/Brian O’Neill

OG (4): Nick Easton/Danny Isidora/Tom Compton/Colby Gossett

C (1): Pat Elflien

 

Defense (25):

DE (5):  Everson Griffen/Danielle Hunter/Brian Robison/Tashawn Bower/Stephen Weatherly

UT (2):  Sheldon Richardson/Jalyn Holmes

NT (2):  Linval Joseph/Jaleel Johnson

LB (5):  Anthony Barr/Eric Kendricks/Ben Gedeon/Devante Downs/Eric Wilson

CB (7):  Xavier Rhodes/Trae Waynes/Terence Newman/Mackenzie Alexander/Mike Hughes/Holton Hill/Marcus Sherels

S (4):  Harrison Smith/Andrew Sendejo/Anthony Harris/Jayron Kearse

 

 

Special Teams (3):

K (1):  Daniel Carlson

P (1):  Ryan Quigley

LS (1):  Kevin McDermott

KR/PR:  Marcus Sherels/Mike Hughes/Stacey Coley/Stefon Diggs

 

Suspended (1):

LB Kentrell Brothers

 

Injured Reserve (1):

DT Hercules Mata’afa

 

Practice Squad (10):

RB Roc Thomas

WR Cayleb Jones

WR Jake Weineke

OT Aviante Collins

C Josh Andrews

DE Ade Aruna

DE Ifeadi Odenigbo

LB Garret Dooley

CB Horace Richardson

S Jack Tocho

[marshpit23]

2 hours ago, Kparty15 said:

Offense (25):

QB (3):  Kirk Cousins/Trevor Siemian/Kyle Sloter

RB/FB (3):  Dalvin Cook/Latavius Murray/CJ Ham

WR (6): Stefon Diggs/Adam Thielen/Laquon Treadwell/Kendall Wright/Stacey Coley/Brandon Zylstra

TE (4): Kyle Rudolph/David Morgan/Blake Bell/Tyler Conklin

OT (4): Riley Reiff/Mike Remmers/Rashod Hill/Brian O’Neill

OG (4): Nick Easton/Danny Isidora/Tom Compton/Colby Gossett

C (1): Pat Elflien

 

Defense (25):

DE (5):  Everson Griffen/Danielle Hunter/Brian Robison/Tashawn Bower/Stephen Weatherly

UT (2):  Sheldon Richardson/Jalyn Holmes

NT (2):  Linval Joseph/Jaleel Johnson

LB (5):  Anthony Barr/Eric Kendricks/Ben Gedeon/Devante Downs/Eric Wilson

CB (7):  Xavier Rhodes/Trae Waynes/Terence Newman/Mackenzie Alexander/Mike Hughes/Holton Hill/Marcus Sherels

S (4):  Harrison Smith/Andrew Sendejo/Anthony Harris/Jayron Kearse

 

 

Special Teams (3):

K (1):  Daniel Carlson

P (1):  Ryan Quigley

LS (1):  Kevin McDermott

KR/PR:  Marcus Sherels/Mike Hughes/Stacey Coley/Stefon Diggs

 

Suspended (1):

LB Kentrell Brothers

 

Injured Reserve (1):

DT Hercules Mata’afa

 

Practice Squad (10):

RB Roc Thomas

WR Cayleb Jones

WR Jake Weineke

OT Aviante Collins

C Josh Andrews

DE Ade Aruna

DE Ifeadi Odenigbo

LB Garret Dooley

CB Horace Richardson

S Jack Tocho

Interesting, no Boone (not even on the PS). I think Boone will surprise in preseason and make a strong push to make the final 53. Just imo, though

[Kparty15]

11 hours ago, marshpit23 said:

Interesting, no Boone (not even on the PS). I think Boone will surprise in preseason and make a strong push to make the final 53. Just imo, though

Yeah maybe he will.  I felt comfortable keeping less RBs and more TEs around since there are quite a few RBs still available in free agency and Ham is pretty good at carrying the ball too.

[Krauser]

No major surprises. 

Minor surprises or at least updates since camp started: 

• Edison is the backup C, not Andrews
• Gossett is stuck with the 3rd team even though both starting guards are out, hmm
• Conklin not beating out Bell (camp reports haven't been great)
• Zylstra the highest placed of the new depth WRs
• none of the rookie UDFAs signed post-draft are in the top 8 WRs
• Brown still RB3 (camp reports suggest Boone is the best option here)
• Odenigbo now at DT and ahead of Holmes
• Jaleel Johnson now at NT and ahead of Parry
• Antwione Williams the highest placed of the new depth LBs

Only rookies higher than 3rd string are O'Neill at RT and Stanton as the 2nd of 2 FBs, and Carlson at K. There are hardly any vets behind any rookies except practice squadders Horace Richardson behind Hughes and Norton behind O'Neill. 

 Not sure if that means the rookies are struggling or (more likely) that the team is making it clear they're starting at the bottom of the depth chart.