3 candidates for Vikings roster ahead of NFL training camp

The Minnesota Vikings are entering a new era without QB Kirk Cousins ​​at the helm. Minnesota never got over the playoff threshold with Cousins ​​and were forced to move on to someone else.

The Vikings also lost edge rusher Danielle Hunter in free agency and have other aging veterans on the roster who aren’t likely to stay in the NFL for long. This feels like a natural extension of Minnesota’s team-building philosophy during the previous regime. All of the stars from the Mike Zimmer era have now either moved on or are on their way out of the NFL altogether. This is only a problem for the Vikings because they haven’t been able to plug holes on the roster as quickly as new ones appear.

Minnesota has several things going for it, we have to give it credit. They now have rookie QB JJ McCarthy on a cost-controlled, multi-season deal. Superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson signed a huge extension and will be around for a long time. The Vikings also added several key players this year during free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft.

However, there are enough players in the squad who do not need to feel confident about their place in the squad.

Here are three Vikings players who are eligible to move into this summer’s training camp.

Nick Mullens could be pushed out by the Vikings’ new quarterbacks

Mullens has been Minnesota’s backup QB since 2022. He’s a capable starter, but not someone you’d even consider a good backup in the NFL.

His spot in the squad became vulnerable when the Vikings decided to invest heavily in replacing Kirk Cousins.

The Vikings signed both Sam Darnold and JJ McCarthy as the presumptive starter and backup, though no one knows for sure who will be who in Week 1. This pushes Mullens down the depth chart.

Minnesota also has Jaren Hall on the roster. The 2023 fifth-round pick out of BYU is considered a developmental QB, making him an ideal fit for a QB3 spot on the roster. This, too, could push Mullen further down the depth chart, or at the very least, prevent him from having a defined role.

Mullens’ best chance to make the roster is to prove he’s a capable clipboard holder. If Mullens can prove his worth as a mentor to rookie JJ McCarthy, he could find a home with the Vikings again.

If Mullens can’t prove that, he’ll have to prove he’s a better option than Sam Darnold. No offense to Mullens, but that doesn’t seem likely.

Will Kene Nwangwu Become a Victim of the NFL’s New Kickoff Rules?

The NFL will experiment with XFL-style kickoff rules in 2024. These rules are quite complicated to explain in full, but the key takeaway is that they change almost everything about kick returns.

This could become a serious problem for someone like Kene Nwangwu, whose spot on the Vikings’ roster has been cemented as a kick returner and special teams core player.

Just because the kickoff rules change doesn’t mean Nwangwu will be a worse kick returner. In fact, these rules could make him even more dangerous. That said, the rules can benefit other players as well.

If these new kickoff rules entice NFL teams to use their best offensive weapons on kick returns, it could incentivize teams to draft fewer core special teamers. That’s where the problem arises for Kene Nwangwu.

Nwangwu hasn’t shown much promise as a running back in the NFL, so special teams is all he has. He could find himself in a vulnerable position if someone else on the team shows potential as a kick returner. Or he could simply lose his special teams work to someone else.

Anyway, we are concerned about Kene Nwangwu.

There will be no room on the roster for Patrick Jones II

The Vikings drafted Patrick Jones II in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, with a pick they acquired after trading away Yannick Ngakoue. Jones II has done little to make a lasting impression for the Vikings, and his job could be in jeopardy.

The biggest problem for Jones II is the competition. Minnesota added both Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard in free agency to replace Danielle Hunter. They also drafted Dallas Turner with a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This shakes up the depth chart and could take Jones II off the list for good.

Andre Carter II, Bo Richter and Gabriel Murphy will all compete with Patrick Jones II for the role of backup edge rusher. It’s a battle that Jones II could be win, but that doesn’t seem likely. He also doesn’t have as many years left on his contract as other players, which could work against him.

Patrick Jones II has a total of 66 tackles in his NFL career, including five sacks.