Vikings Make 2 Intriguing Cuts Just 1 Day After 53-Man Deadline (What It Means Going Forward)

These moves certainly raised some eyebrows.

Dillon Bell's future is up in the air after the Vikings made some surprising decisions on Monday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Less than 24 hours after Sunday's 53-man roster deadline, the Vikings made two waiver claims on Monday, adding center Nick Samac and guard Trevor Keegan.

The two interior lineman bring much-needed depth to Minnesota, but their addition comes at a cost. To stay compliant with the 53-man roster mandate, the Vikings were forced to waive two players—including a fan favorite.

Vikings waive Max Brosmer after initially keeping four quarterbacks

The Vikings' first 53-man roster saw them retain four quarterbacks. And while most knew that wouldn’t last long, what wasn’t known was whether it would be Brosmer or the ever-polarizing J.J. McCarthy to be the one to get the axe. The situation with McCarthy gets muddier every day, especially with the most recent report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter saying that his ankle injury is now a "multi-week" recovery.

.@AdamSchefter believes that J.J. McCarthy's ankle injury has a "multi-week" timetable. ⬇️ https://t.co/SAwHYeA3KS

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 31, 2026

Whether that information came from McCarthy’s camp or from Narnia is a story for another day, but it’s clear that there are still a few things that need to be worked out with the former tenth-overall pick.

Meanwhile, the Vikings opted to waive Brosmer, paving the way for a likely practice squad reunion. Despite a forgettable preseason and a ‘Men in Black’ neuralizer-level of forgettable in 2025, the Vikings obviously felt some concern that he might have been claimed off the waiver wire on Monday.

If for some reason Minnesota does not put Brosmer on the practice squad, however, another outside addition to the room is surely on the way.

Camp darling Dillon Bell gets cut after making the initial roster

Undrafted free agent Dillon Bell quickly latched on in Minnesota and ended his preseason by making the 53-man roster as the sixth wide receiver.

A receiver out of Georgia who boasts a running-back build and strength, Bell makes for a good developmental piece for the Vikings.

But while Bell impressed, a deep room makes him expendable, and the Vikings will likely try to sneak him down to the practice squad like Brosmer. Unlike Brosmer, though, Bell may attract some significant attention, and there’s a chance he does get claimed in the coming days.

Outside of their terrific trio in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, Minnesota also kept Tai Felton and Myles Price, making keeping a sixth receiver seem pretty superfluous.

Ultimately, the Vikings knew both Brosmer and Bell were practice squad candidates, but kept them on the roster an extra day to avoid them getting claimed. It’s not the worst strategy, although there’s still no guarantee either makes it through this time around. Still, the added depth at center is probably worth the risk for two players well down the depth chart.

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