The 3 Biggest Questions Remaining After Vikings Trim The Roster Down To 53

After cutting the roster down to 53, the Vikings left many questions still unanswered.

Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks on after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Vikings trimmed their roster down from 90 to 53 on Sunday, but the moves may not be done just yet. While some questions were answered, like the fate of bubble players like Dillon Bell or Jacob Thomas, other concerns still remain after cutdown day.

The team still has plenty of issues to address before their Week 1 opener against Green Bay. So what are the biggest questions still facing the Vikings before they finalize the roster?

1. Is the quarterback room officially set?

The Vikings have kept four quarterbacks on the initial roster in a fairly bizarre move. J.J. McCarthy was not released or traded and, for now, is still a member of the Vikings. It's not especially shocking, though, despite his poor preseason play and possible demotion to QB3. Ultimately, any awkwardness or tension in the team cafeteria isn't enough of a reason to cut the young and relatively cheap quarterback with good knowledge of the playbook. And while his future with the team is nebulous at best, McCarthy's staying put in Minnesota for 2026 remains possible thanks in part to Kevin O'Connell's obsession with depth.

After trudging through 2023 with four quarterbacks, including rookie Jaren Hall and last-minute trade piece Josh Dobbs, the head man will never again come into a season without a deep quarterback room. But while McCarthy has made the roster for the moment, that certainly doesn't mean an injury-plagued team won't come calling again during the season and up their offer, testing Minnesota's dedication to keeping him.

At this point, McCarthy will likely enter the season with the Vikings. A cut was never in the cards, but should a team offer a good price and it's not hard to see Minnesota moving on from their former first-rounder, leaving Max Brosmer as the QB3.

2. What's next for addressing edge rusher depth?

After losing Tyler Batty to a torn ACL, the already razor-thin depth at edge rusher took another brutal hit. Minnesota now has just as many quarterbacks as they do edge rushers, and changes are almost certainly on the way. The current room behind starters Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel consists of just Bo Richter and Chaz Chambliss, who have a combined one total sack in their short careers. The young pair have shown some promise, but the clear absence of experience is certainly unusual considering the complexity of Brian Flores' system.

While tweeners Jake Golday and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins offer some flexibility at edge, the lack of an experienced edge rusher behind the starting duo is a clear need for the Vikings.

There are still plenty of options available in free agency, from Haason Reddick to Leonard Floyd, but the Vikings have bided their time in addressing the anemic depth. With Flores, anybody can become anything to an extent, but the Vikings are playing a dangerous game if they lose either starter to injury early on. There's a very high possibility that Minnesota makes a move to add a veteran either via signing or trade by the end of the week.

3. What's the deal at center?

The Vikings kept just eight offensive linemen after the initial cuts, and the only true center left on the roster isn't actually a true center. Blake Brandel took over center duties halfway through 2025 after previously playing his career as a swingman, and will now handle the job again in 2026. The Vikings cut Gavin Gerhardt, and Michael Jurgens won't be ready for several weeks after getting placed on the Reserve/Injured list. As they were the only other two centers on the roster, it's apparent a trade or signing is coming soon.

Brandel has been shaky at best this summer, and the Vikings could look not only to add a backup center, but to also trade for a center to shift Brandel down to a reserve role once again. He hasn't instilled tons of confidence in the staff that he can be the guy as his wild snapping has continued into late August, and Brandel might have some competition entering the building soon. There's a zero percent chance the Vikings roll into the season without a second center on the roster, and a move is surely coming to remedy that.

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