The Minnesota Vikings just dropped their initial 53-man roster for the upcoming season, and hold onto your hats, because they’ve got *four* quarterbacks on it right now. Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, J.J. McCarthy, and Max Brosmer all made the cut, which, let’s be real, is an insane number for a team heading into the regular season. This is clearly a temporary move, a chess match in progress, as the Vikings are absolutely not done making calls.
The Quarterback Carousel Is Just Starting To Spin
Look, no team keeps four QBs on the 53. The source makes it clear that McCarthy and Brosmer probably won’t be around when the season actually kicks off. The big question mark here is J.J. McCarthy. His market value? Less than robust, my friend. Dude, after a preseason that didn’t exactly light the world on fire and another minor injury keeping him out of the final game, his trade stock is definitely not soaring. It’s wild that Will Levis, a guy with more experience and better stats than McCarthy, got waived today, yet McCarthy is still clinging on.
The Vikings are definitely playing the long game here, perhaps working on trade deals for another quarterback or two. A trade for Anthony Richardson wouldn’t be a huge shocker, but who knows who else they’re eyeing up. There might be some teams out there who were hoping the Vikings would just wave goodbye to McCarthy, but nope, not yet. Could Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers be interested? They’ve only got Trey Lance behind Justin Herbert, and that Michigan connection with Harbaugh is obvious. Plus, McCarthy’s even had some exposure to Mike McDaniel’s scheme through Frank Smith this offseason. This whole situation screams “trade alert” in the coming days.
Running Back Upside and Tight End Decisions Loom
It wasn’t all about the signal-callers, though. The Vikings kept Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Demond Claiborne, and fullback Max Bredeson. That meant Zavier Scott and Jermar Jefferson are out. What’s interesting is Claiborne’s spot. He didn’t have an “outstanding” camp or preseason, but the flashes were there: quick, agile, capable of explosive runs. That’s the kind of upside Zavier Scott just doesn’t possess, even if Scott can do a lot of things reasonably well. Claiborne also showed he could pass protect, even grading better than Scott in that area during preseason, according to PFF. That’s a crucial skill, man.
At tight end, they’re rolling with T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Gavin Bartholomew, and Ben Yurosek. Marshall Lang, Bryson Nesbit (waived/injured), and Matt Lauter were cut. The decision for that last tight end spot is on pause, but don’t be surprised if Yurosek (or maybe Bartholomew) gets cut once the team adds to their offensive line group. The wide receiver room saw Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, Tai Felton, Myles Price, and Dill make the initial 53.
This roster is far from set. The next few days are going to be wild as the Vikings navigate waivers and potential trades. Keep your eyes peeled, because there’s definitely more action coming.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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