The Minnesota Vikings’ roster changed a bit in the last couple of months, even if free agency wasn’t too eventful. The club let some notable veterans walk while onboarding a draft class nine men deep. And now, entering May, it’s time to rank the roster by position.
Free agency and the draft changed the depth chart. One position now stands above the rest.
From bottom to top, these are the Vikings’ stronger roster spots after the draft (No. 1 = best roster position per personnel).
Minnesota’s Best Position Group Has a New Combatant
A new position takes the crown.
11. RB
Main Commodities:
RB1: Aaron Jones
RB2: Jordan Mason
RB3: Demond Claiborne
RB4: Zavier Scott
This group is not weak; it’s just the Vikings’ least promising position because Jones usually gets banged up, and the team opted not to draft a running back in the first few rounds. Unless Claiborne becomes a phenomenon, it’s “more of the same” for the Vikings at tailback.
10. TE
Main Commodities:
TE1: T.J. Hockenson
TE2: Josh Oliver
TE3: Ben Yurosek
TE4: Gavin Bartholomew
If Minnesota uses Hockenson as a pass-catcher — not a run blocker like last year — this group can be formidable again. But there’s no evidence that will actually happen.
9. iOL
Main Commodities:
LG: Donovan Jackson
C: Blake Brandel
RG: Will Fries
Minnesota signed Fries a year ago — to a meaty contract — and if he had lived up to his end of the bargain in 2025, this group would rank higher. However, Fries did not do that, and fans will spend the next four months determining if he’s capable of a rebound season.
It’s worth noting, though, that this iOL group is much stronger than it was in the Mike Zimmer days. There’s that.
8. Safety
Main Commodities:
S1: Josh Metellus
S2: Jay Ward
S3: Theo Jackson
S4: Jakobe Thomas
This is four decent players — no superstars. Nobody is too scared about the safety spot, but in Brian Flores’s world, it’s a pretty milquetoast group.
It’s why mock-draft brains were so insistent on Dillon Thieneman to the Vikings for two months.
7. OLB
Main Commodities:
OLB1: Andrew Van Ginkel
OLB2: Dallas Turner
OLB3: Bo Richter
OLB4: Tyler Batty
OLB5: Chaz Chambliss
This would’ve been the deepest spot on the roster if the Vikings didn’t trade Jonathan Greenard during the draft. Tsk tsk.
Now, it’s all a matter of whether interim general manager Rob Brzezinski signs a player like Von Miller, Joey Bosa, Cameron Jordan, or Jadeveon Clowney. If so, this spot can return near the top of the list.
6. CB
Main Commodities:
CB1: Byron Murphy Jr.
CB2: Isaiah Rodgers
CB3: James Pierre
CB4: Charles Demmings
With Pierre and Demmings in the mix, the CB room is much better than last year, when the Vikings decided Jeff Okudah was a smart choice as the CB3.
Still, this section of the roster lacks a shutdown cornerback, ideally a young one like Mansoor Delane would’ve provided if he fell down the draftboard.
5. QB
Main Commodities:
QB1: Kyler Murray
QB2: J.J. McCarthy
QB3: Carson Wentz
Without Murray, this spot would rank last on the list. But that’s irrelevant because Murray is indeed the Vikings’ QB1.
This group can also become the deepest position on the roster if the summer and/or fall reveal that McCarthy has taken the next development step.
4. WR
Main Commodities:
WR1: Justin Jefferson
WR2: Jordan Addison
WR3: Tai Felton
WR4: Myles Price
If the Vikings lock Jauan Jennings in with a free-agent contract, even if it’s only for one year, this becomes the top position on the roster. Simple as that. He’s that good, and the roster needs a WR3 that much.
3. iDL
Main Commodities:
DT1: Jalen Redmond
DT2: Caleb Banks
DE3: Domonique Orange
DE4: Levi Drake Rodriguez
DE5: Tyrion-Ingram Dawkins
One could make an argument for this as the Vikings’ deepest roster spot. It would be believable. Nevertheless, for that to be completely true, we probably have to, you know, see Banks and Orange play NFL football first.
2. OT
Main Commodities:
LT1: Christian Darrisaw
RT1: Brian O’Neill
OT3: Ryan Van Demark
OT4: Caleb Tiernan
OT5: Walter Rouse
OT6: Blake Brandel
This group is utterly fantastic if you’re into the Vikings having offensive tackle depth. In years past, believe it or not, it wasn’t guaranteed.
Anytime an offensive line has Darrisaw and O’Neill as the starters, the unit is in great shape. The rest — Van Demark, Tiernan, Rouse, and Brandel — make this a phenomenal spot for the 2026 Vikings.
1. ILB
Main Commodities:
ILB1: Blake Cashman
ILB2: Eric Wilson
ILB3: Ivan Pace Jr.
ILB4: Jake Golday
This transformation of depth at this position in the last few months is remarkable. In mid-January, Wilson was scheduled for free agency; so was Pace Jr. Golday wasn’t a thing yet, and Minnesota — for some reason — had released rookies Kobe King and Austin Keys down the stretch of 2025.
In fact, the Vikings looked a bit foolish for roster management at ILB.
Now, if one assumes that Golday is not a bust, this roster spot is arguably the Vikings’ deepest. It does not have All-Pro talent, but the four main off-ball linebackers can be trusted to start in a pinch. That’s pretty rare for Vikings football — and the NFL on the whole.
