Vikings Who Could be Cut if the NFL Reduces Roster Sizes for Training Camp
News emerged on Thursday that the NFL is unlikely to keep rosters at the typical 90 players for training camp this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that roster sizes are almost certainly going to be reduced to 75 or 80 players.
The NFL has already cut the preseason in half, so this is a logical next step when it comes to safety precautions. With only two preseason games, teams don't necessarily need the full 90 players anyways.
"The league and NFLPA are trying to figure out the right number of players each team can bring to camp, and that appears to be between 75 and 80," Schefter wrote. "One plan being further discussed is splitting the roster into two groups and having each practice at a different time, no matter how many players are allowed to report to camp."
The Vikings currently have 87 players on their roster. Here are some of the end-of-the-roster guys who might not be brought to camp if the Vikings are forced to cut seven to 12 players.
2020 UDFAs/late-round picks
This could be bad news for some of the 27 rookies the Vikings brought in this offseason. Obviously, I'd expect everyone drafted through the first five or six rounds to be safe, but some late-round picks and especially the undrafted free agents could potentially be in trouble.
- OT Blake Brandel (sixth round)
- S Josh Metellus (sixth round)
- DE Kenny Willekes (seventh round)
- QB Nate Stanley (seventh round)
- S Brian Cole II (seventh round)
- G Kyle Hinton (seventh round)
- CB Nevelle Clarke (UDFA)
- S Myles Dorn (UDFA)
- WR Quartney Davis (UDFA)
- WR Dan Chisena (UDFA)
- OT Brady Aiello (UDFA)
- G Tyler Higby (UDFA)
- C Jake Lacina (UDFA)
- TE Nakia Griffin-Stewart (UDFA)
- FB Jake Bargas (UDFA)
- LB Jordan Fehr (UDFA)
- LB Blake Lynch (UDFA)
- DT David Moa (UDFA)
Non-rookie cut candidates
If the Vikings decide they want to keep some of their undrafted free agents in camp to get a long look at their abilities, they could cut some players who have already had at least one training camp to prove themselves.
- RB Tony Brooks-James
- WR Bralon Addison
- WR Dillon Mitchell
- WR Alexander Hollins
- WR Davion Davis
- QB Jake Browning
- TE Brandon Dillon
- DE Stacy Keely
- DE Eddie Yarbrough
- CB Mark Fields
- CB Nate Meadors
- CB Marcus Sayles
- CB Kemon Hall
The Vikings will still have to trim their roster down to 53 players after training camp, with 12 practice squad spots available. However, it's possible that practice squads could be expanded even further this year due to COVID-19.
Training camp is still scheduled to begin on July 28th, though Schefter is reporting that there are "increasing questions from league sources about whether camp can start on time with the number of coronavirus cases around the country spiking."
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