The fourth and final preseason game is usually a great indicator of roster depth, and the Vikings' 28-0 victory Thursday night left coach Leslie Frazer feeling he will have a tough time trimming his roster to 53 players Saturday. (Don McPeak/US Presswire)
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings felt they needed Thursday's 28-0 win over the Houston Texans more than the average fourth preseason game.
With just two starters - one on offense and one on defense - actually starting, it was Minnesota's backups and players fighting for roster spots who did much of the damage against Houston. Thursday's performances will play a big part as the Vikings look to trim their roster in advance of Saturday's cutdown to the 53-man roster limit.
"Now, probably, the real tough part of this job begins," Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said after Thursday's game. "With such a great effort by so many tonight, it's going to make it tough for our staff to finalize that 53-man roster, which is a good problem to have."
Expect an uncharacteristic couple of days around the post-lockout NFL.
Lacking an offseason, coaches were left with just a few weeks to evaluate players. There was the free-agent frenzy following the lockout. Drafted players were unavailable to teams until training camp began, and undrafted free agents were especially behind the 8-ball as they fought for roster positions. All of those scenarios made the fourth preseason game a little more interesting, maybe more necessary, than it has been in the past.
"There were a number of positions coming into this game that we had questions about," Frazier said. "We'll sit down, and I was talking to (vice president of player personnel) Rick Spielman earlier about just that fact. We're going to have some strong discussions (Friday) at certain positions, and we've got to be able to make some good decisions. I realize there may be some good football players that may not make our team, but there are some good football players that will."
There might also be many good football players on the market this weekend.
Frazier said earlier this week he wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of roster turnover the next few days as teams adjust to the salary cap. With a new collective bargaining agreement in place, more established, veteran players might find themselves looking for jobs. Similar to when Dallas cut Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode earlier this week, teams might be forced to release players whose contracts would be guaranteed if they are on the roster in Week 1.
"We're fortunate here in Minnesota, where the Wilf family is going to do whatever is necessary for us to be competitive and salary cap-wise, we're in good shape," Frazier said. "We're in better shape than people realize. We don't have to make any decision on our roster based on our cap."
The Vikings won't be making cuts based on money, but they could be involved on the other end, possibly claiming players from the waiver wire. Minnesota reportedly put in a claim on fullback Jerome Felton this week, but Felton was awarded to the Carolina Panthers.
With that caveat in mind, here's a look at how Minnesota's 53-man roster might shape up in advance of Saturday's cutdown:
Quarterbacks (three): This one is set. Donovan McNabb is the starter. Frazier hasn't announced who is the No. 2, but expect Joe Webb to be the main backup, at least early in the season because he has looked more comfortable and is a year ahead of rookie Christian Ponder.
Running backs (three): This is another position that appears set with Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart and Lorenzo Booker. Booker suffered a back injury in the third preseason game, but Frazier has said he should be available for the opener. Booker will also be in the mix as kick returner.
Fullbacks (zero): With a pair of versatile tight ends, the guess here is the Vikings won't keep Ryan D'Imperio or Matt Asiata on the active roster.
Tight ends (four): Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser and Kyle Rudolph are set, and Jeff Dugan likely will be the fourth tight end. Rookie free agent Allen Reisner could steal Dugan's spot, but it's more likely Minnesota will try and pass him through to the practice squad.
Wide receivers (five): Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian and Michael Jenkins are set, and Frazier said earlier he is likely to keep five receivers. Devin Aromashodu and Greg Camarillo started Thursday, likely a sign they will claim the final two spots over Emmanuel Arceneaux, Stephen Burton, Juaquin Iglesias and Jaymar Johnson. Johnson could make the final roster if coaches want him as the punt returner.
Offensive linemen (nine): Charlie Johnson, Steve Hutchinson, John Sullivan, Anthony Herrera and Phil Loadholt will be the starting five. How many backup offensive lineman the team carries and which players stay is a big question. Jon Cooper probably stays. Ryan Cook has likely put himself in the mix to stay. DeMarcus Love has shown versatility and will probably stay. Chris DeGeare likely would have been a lock at the start of the season but has fallen behind with an injury. The final decision might come down to DeGeare or tackle Patrick Brown. Brandon Fusco and/or Brown could find their way onto the practice squad.
Defensive linemen (nine): Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Remi Ayodele and Brian Robison are the starters. Letroy Guion has flashed as Williams' backup at tackle and could begin the season as a starter while Williams misses the first two games with a suspension. Christian Ballard and Adrian Awasom are locks as well. It comes down to Everson Griffen, Stylez G. White and Fred Evans for probably two spots. Griffen has played linebacker this week and will be in the mix whether at linebacker or on the line. The question becomes White, the end, or Evans, the tackle. D'Aundre Reed could be sent to the practice squad.
Linebacker (six): Chad Greenway, E.J. Henderson and Erin Henderson are set as the starters. Jasper Brinkley will likely go on injured reserve after having hip surgery this week, freeing up one spot. David Herron could be on the final roster a week after signing. The guess here is Heath Farwell and Kenny Onatolu will make it, mostly because of their special teams work. That will leave Ross Homan and Larry Dean possibly trying to be passed onto the practice squad.
Safety (five): Husain Abdullah is one starter, and it's expected Jamarca Sanford will be the other starter over Tyrell Johnson. The decision comes down to Johnson, Mistral Raymond and Eric Frampton as the backups. Raymond has flashed in camp. Frampton can contribute on special teams. Johnson might be on the bubble, and he would be one of the "biggest" cuts, but for now he likely will stay after battling for the starting spot. If Johnson is cut, that could leave another spot for one of the bubble defensive linemen or linebackers.
Cornerback (six): Antoine Winfield and Cedric Griffin are the starters, and Chris Cook is the likely third corner, if healthy. Marcus Sherels has shown ability on defense and could be the punt returner. His spot is probably safe. Asher Allen's toe injury has complicated matters. If healthy, he'd likely be a lock. But he hasn't been healthy. That should mean Brandon Burton stays to provide depth.
Special teams (three): Kicker Ryan Longwell, punter Chris Kluwe and long snapper Cullen Loeffler are as steady as they come and have been together for several years for a reason.
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